Written in the Stars
by the amber dragonfly
Summary: Sequel to As Fate Would Have It and It Must Be Destiny: Izayoi's story. InusoutaXAmber, OCs everywhere, romance, humor, and angst. Rated for language and adult situations in later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Come now, Izayoi! It cannot be that dreadful!"

Izayoi Higurashi whirled and faced off against her twin brother, growling her discontent. "It is worse, you bloody baka," she snarled, using one of her sister-in-law's favorite terms. "I don't need a baby-sitter! I'm not a pup!"

Amber Higurashi, Inusouta's mate, heaved a huge sigh in understanding. "We totally agree with you, Iza," she said, "but your father thought it would be best if you didn't go alone on your search."

Inusouta nodded. "You should be delighted the old dog is letting you go at all. He could have just as easily forced Mother to go."

"Keh!" the lovely eighteen-year-old replied, sounding much like their father. "Unlikely, given the fact that she's pregnant. He simply chose the lesser of two evils, in my opinion."

Amber and Inusouta exchanged a glance. It was true. Three months ago, when Inuyasha had informed his family that someone was pregnant, Amber had prayed and prayed that it had been her- only to find out after both of them had taken modern-day pregnancy tests that it was her mother-in-law.

Needless to say, Kagome was both completely surprised and rather baffled. Sure, she and Inuyasha had wanted another child, but it had been fourteen years since she had her last child, Suki- and not once in all that time had she conceived again. Yet here she was, at thirty-five, five months pregnant with her fourth child.

Amber was happy for her in-laws, yet at the same time both horribly jealous and sadly depressed. She and Inusouta had been married by human custom for about six months and she still hadn't managed to conceive a kit. According to youkai law, she was still considered fair game to other male youkai (or hanyous) for claiming, and would remain so until Inusouta got her pregnant. A way of preserving one's family, she supposed. The white gold wedding band on her left ring finger meant nothing to youkai- they wouldn't hesitate to try and claim her in hopes of siring their offspring on her.

"Well, pest," Inusouta said with a half-hearted grin, "at least you get the company of not only your charming brother and lovely sister-in-law, but you get to haul along one of Miroku and Sango's entourage as well."

"Masao is not the problem. You know we've been friends for years. My problem is Daddy sending along _you_ to watch over me!"

Miroku and Sango had gladly given their permission for Masao to accompany Izayoi on her quest to find the remaining shards, claiming it would be good for the young man to test his skills while (secretly) helping to protect the young female hanyou from danger.

Inuyasha nearly had an apoplexy when he heard that Masao was going to join his daughter on her journey. "_Absolutely, positively, under __**NO**__ circumstances is a whelp of that hentai going anywhere with my baby girl alone!_" he had bellowed, loud enough that they could've heard him through the well.

And so the solution of sending Inusouta and Amber along with them to search for shards was created. Now they were facing off against Izayoi's wrath as she claimed she didn't need her proper-talking twin to baby-sit her.

Amber shrugged. "It could be much worse," she reminded the raven-haired beauty. "You could be traveling with Kanamaru."

Izayoi rolled her eyes. "Kami, no. You're right. That would be much worse."

Their Uncle Sesshoumaru's only son, Kanamaru, was about as unlike his regal, expressionless, emotionless father as you could get. He was both a hopeless flirt and a tease, not to mention possessing a temper that rivaled Inuyasha's. He was rather like a mix of Miroku and Inuyasha, with a dash of cockiness that came from knowing he was the next Inu no Taishou.

He was a royal pain in the tail.

Inusouta gave his sister a pointed glance. "So you will cease all this nonsense so we can leave? I am impatient to get this over with so that I may concentrate on siring some pups."

Amber blushed and punched her mate in the arm. "Announce it to all of Sengoku Jidai, why don't you?"

Izayoi gave them both a very bored look. "If you have to do that while we're on this trip, do it far, far, _far_ away from me. I don't want to know."

Masao emerged from his parents' house, his mother's Hiraikotsu strapped to his back. He was dressed in his normal dark green haori and brown hakama, although his black bodysuit sleeves could be seen as they came to a point over the backs of his hands, secured by a band around each middle finger. His dark brown hair was cropped short except for a small ponytail at the nape of his neck- just like his father's. Violet eyes sparkled in the morning light. "Good morning," the handsome young man greeted his friends.

"Masao! Wait!" Everyone turned back toward the house, where Miroku and Sango had emerged as well, their newest son, Kohaku, nestled comfortably against his father's shoulder. Sango snapped her fingers a few times and a tiny twin-tailed youkai cat appeared, jumping onto Sango's shoulder.

"What is it, Mother?" he called back. "We have to get going!"

The taijiya rubbed her cheek against Kirara's soft fur for a moment before letting the cat jump down, where she ran over to the group. "Take Kirara with you. She's restless around here."

He knew his mother was lying, but he allowed the tiny cat to jump up on his shoulder. "All right, then," he agreed. He winked at his parents. "Maybe we'll find her a mate or something while we're at it."

Sango puffed up in indignation. "Don't you _dare_!"

Masao chuckled. "Don't worry, Mother. I won't let anything happen to Kirara. She's in the best of hands."

Inuyasha and Kagome appeared and walked toward the group- Inuyasha with his hands stuffed in his sleeves like usual and Kagome carrying her bow and a quiver full of arrows. Already showing quite a bit, the miko was dressed in modern-day pants and a light pink maternity shirt, which was tented slightly by the small bulge of her swollen belly.

"Here, Izayoi," Kagome said as she handed the weapons to her daughter. "Use them well."

Izayoi nodded. "I will, Mom. Don't worry- I'll bring back the last shards for you."

Inuyasha glowered. "I don't like this. We can just wait for your mother to whelp and then we can go find the rest of the shards. We've waited what- nineteen years?- to get the last ones… What's another few months?"

"Osuwari!"

"Ow!"

Kagome gave her now-flattened mate a rather irritated glare. "I'm _not_ going to give birth and then immediately go wandering off across Japan looking for shards with a newborn! Izayoi's our best chance!"

Inuyasha's response was somewhat muffled by the dirt, so Kagome gave her children a bright smile. "Come back safely, okay?"

The four companions nodded and then turned away, heading for the unknown. Amber shifted the rather large backpack on her back as she turned back and waved.

Inusouta chuckled. "I thought you could not wait to escape."

"Bad dog! I adore your parents!"

"But not when we are in the process of trying to conceive a pup."

Amber flushed and focused on the road ahead. "Yeah, well… some things your parents don't need to know about."

Masao smothered a laugh. "Why do you think I volunteered to come on this trip?" he asked with a wink. "I can't exactly find a wife if I'm living with my parents and my constantly-underfoot siblings."

Izayoi gave him a sideways glance. "You're looking for a wife?"

"Indeed. But I refuse to ask every woman in Japan if she'll bear my child. Thankfully I have more of my mother in me than my father."

Inusouta snorted as he stuffed his hands inside the sleeves of his dark blue haori- looking much like the human version of his father. "Unlike Nozomi, eh?"

Masao groaned loudly at the mention of his 15-year-old sister. "I cannot understand why she insists on asking every good-looking male in the village to marry her. It is beginning to fray my nerves." The young taijiya shuddered. "I don't know how Mother put up with Father during all their travels. She is truly amazing."

Amber smiled. "Love conquers all."

Izayoi huffed as she mimicked her brother and folded her hands inside the wide sleeves of her purple haori. She was dressed more like a man for this trip, only because she didn't want to be hampered by the narrowness of a kimono. So she decided to play fashion designer and opted to wear a purple haori that hung to just above her knees and secured with a purple sash, with black tight-fitting pants underneath. Now she had freedom of movement should she need to do any hand-to-hand combat, although she wasn't sure if her twin would allow her to actually fight.

Masao glanced at Kirara where she rested peacefully on his shoulder. "This is weird."

"What is?" Inusouta asked as he looked at his friend.

"Us. We are practically the same group that made up our parents' party back when they were searching for the shards and Naraku."

He pondered that for a moment. "Inu-hanyou… well, between Izayoi and myself, we make up a whole hanyou…"

Izayoi paused long enough to swing a kick towards her brother's leg, which he nimbly avoided as he continued to ponder. "Izayoi has the miko part covered… Amber is the kitsune…"

His mate glared. "Do I look like a seven-year-old kit to you?"

He squeezed her butt out of sight of the others. "You look like a piece of heaven," he murmured in her ear.

"Stop that…" she nearly purred back. "You're acting like Miroku."

Masao rolled his eyes. "I think the pervert is covered by you, 'Souta."

"I only ask one female to bear my pups, Mas. Unlike your sire."

The younger man laughed aloud. "So I guess I'm the taijiya… but we still need a monk, I think…"

Izayoi giggled, sounding more relaxed with every step she took into the wilderness- and away from her father. "I doubt we'll find one to join us. Unless you're looking specifically for a lecher, then I think we would need Kanamaru for that."

Everyone groaned. "Absolutely not," came the chorused reply.

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And so they traveled, deciding to head in the direction of the last shard that Izayoi had found and recovered a few weeks before. So far a week had passed and there had been no hints of a jewel shard anywhere.

Amber sighed as she stared at the fish cooking for dinner over the fire Masao had prepared. She was getting rather sick of fish, but they hadn't come across a village yet, so they were just going to have to deal with it.

Standing up and stretching, she shifted to hanyou form and sniffed the air. Inusouta glanced up at her curiously. "Something wrong, vixen?"

"No," she replied with a grin, "but I think I scent a hot springs nearby. You want to… help me take a bath?"

The inu-hanyou jumped to his feet so fast it appeared he hadn't been sitting at all. "Letzgo!" he said as he lifted the kitsune-hanyou into his arms and headed in the direction she indicated.

The sun was almost down, yet Inusouta decided to shift to hanyou anyway so he could get there that much faster. Amber giggled in his arms. "You forgot the soap," she murmured as she reached up and fondled a black furry ear.

Her mate whimpered. "_Please_ don't make me go back to get it," he pleaded as he headed toward the scent of the steaming spring.

She chuckled evilly. "You'd think you were in heat or something."

The hot springs appeared and quick as a flash, he had her stripped of her clothing without releasing her from his arms. "I'm about to be," he smirked as he tossed her mercilessly into the water.

Spluttering and dripping in delightful appeal, Amber glared up at her still-dressed mate. "Bad dog! No treat!"

Inusouta pulled off his clothes without taking his eyes off his drenched kitsune. Water dripped delicately off her semi-slumped gold and black ears and her tail was completely submerged. He was amused to see that her sapphire gaze was locked on his nude and very aroused body.

"Wanna bet?"

Amber licked her lips, eyeing him carefully. "Probably not."

He chuckled mischievously as he jumped into the water with her. He moved closer to her, shaking himself like… well, like a wet dog.

His mate managed to hold herself back and not fling herself at the gorgeous hanyou. "Now what? You forgot the soap," she reminded him.

Two arms snaked out and captured her waist, pulling her nude body full against his own. "Exactly. Forget the soap. I have much better plans for us."

Reaching up, she rubbed his ears again, earning her another pleading whimper. "As do I," she whispered as their mouths met hungrily in a fervent kiss.

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**A/N: There you go! If y'all approve and would like more, please review for me- the more I get, the more likely I'll continue:) Thanks, everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Me? Own Inuyasha or anyone involved therein? Not bloody likely...

And here is another chapter for your perusal! Again, if this story is to your liking, PLEASE let me know! ARIGATOU!!

Chapter 2

A pair of bright blue eyes widened at the scene before them of the inu-hanyou and the kitsune-hanyou "playing" around in the hot spring. "Damn!" the owner of the eyes cursed as he stared in illicit amusement at the couple amorously entwined. "Lucky dog!"

The onlooker was interrupted from his erotic entertainment as another male pushed him rather roughly aside. "Move, baka! I wanna see!"

Blue eyes narrowed. "I was there first, Jiro!"

Jiro glanced at his brother with a smirk. "Too bad, Taro. You can't always be first in everything just because you were born first."

Taro glared at the mirror image that was his identical twin. Well, except for the green eyes. "I found them, therefore I get to watch them!"

Neither brother realized that their argument had been overheard by keen inu and kitsune ears. Inusouta had his sword at his hip, dressed only in his hakama and standing over the arguing brothers, dripping wet and gazing down at them with his best "Uncle Sesshy's death-glare."

"What," he murmured, his gold eyes flashing with a fury that belied his icy exterior, "do you two think you are looking at?"

The two males looked up at him from where they crouched in the bushes. Inusouta blinked slowly to make sure he wasn't seeing double.

They were absolutely, completely identical, right down to their fur pelts and armor. Long red hair on each of them was pulled back into a ponytail. They blinked at him in faked innocence, and it was then that Inusouta saw that one twin's eyes were leaf green, while the other's were bright blue.

Amber had extracted herself from the hot springs and had pulled on her kimono, holding it tightly around her. Her tail was still sopping wet and hung low, weighted down by the water. Rivulets of water trickled down her semi-drooped fox ears and dripped on her shoulders. The twins shifted their gaze from the irate inu-hanyou to the kitsune hanyou next to him.

Their reaction was immediate. They both jumped up, revealing their height to be about the same as Inusouta's. They crowded around Amber, pushing the inu-hanyou out of the way.

"I'm Taro," the one with blue eyes said, lifting Amber's free hand and making ready to place a kiss on the back of her hand.

He was pushed out of the way by the green-eyed brother, who snatched the hand away to place his own kiss on it. "I'm Jiro," said the other one, oozing charm. "And who are you, charming vixen?"

Inusouta, if he were capable, almost turned youkai on their asses. He let out a low growl and grabbed both brothers by their ponytails, yanking them away from his perplexed mate. "I'm the only one who calls her 'vixen', wolf-shits. Now get out of here before I rip your lungs out for speaking to her."

The ookami twins ignored him as he tossed them onto the ground away from him. They stood up and flashed Amber identical irresistible grins. "I think that would be for her to decide, wouldn't you say, Jiro?" Taro asked without taking his eyes off the lovely- albeit dripping- female.

"Oh, I agree, Taro," his brother replied, actually licking his upper lip. "She's obviously a grown female who can make up her own mind."

Inusouta had one hand on Ryokukenmeiyo's hilt and the other itching to slice some wolf throats. "She is my mate," he growled, low and deep, the blue stripes on his forearms pulsing in time with his heartbeat. "So if you value your lives, you will vanish from here before I acquaint you with my swords."

Taro sniffed. Actually sniffed. "She isn't carrying your cub," he stated blandly.

"So therefore, she's not your mate yet," Jiro finished.

"We were working on that when you two bastards interrupted us!" Inusouta snarled, allowing his father's temper to surface.

"Well, maybe she needs a virile mate," they replied in unison, their eyes drifting back to Amber.

They didn't just say that… Amber stared at the twin wolf youkai in mute shock.

"Inusouta! I better find you with you hakama on, or I'm gonna be seriously grossed out!"

Four heads turned as Izayoi, Masao, and Kirara appeared from the foliage. The three newcomers stared at the twin strangers in surprise. Kirara mewed.

Again the twins leapt into action. They crowded around Izayoi like they had Amber, this time each grasping a hand to kiss. "Ah, lovely inu-hanyou maiden," Taro nearly purred.

"Tell me you'll be my mate," Jiro added, earning him a thwack on the head from his brother, Masao, and Inusouta all at once.

"She's not gonna be your mate- she's gonna be mine!" Taro yelled.

Masao rubbed his temple with his fingertips as if he were getting a migraine.

Inusouta released the grip on his sword, yanked both wolves off his sister and grasped their throats, pricking the tender skin with his claws. "She is not available either," he announced coldly, narrowing his golden eyes as he tossed them on the ground a few feet away.

"Damn, dog," Jiro said with wide green eyes. "How many bitches you got?"

"I'm gonna kill 'em," Inusouta hissed, his expression about as cold as it could get but his eyes were blazing murderous intent. Amber and Masao both held onto his arms to hold him back.

"Inusouta, don't. They didn't mean it." Masao glanced at the twins in disgust.

They managed to look completely innocent. "Didn't mean what?" Taro asked his brother.

"Beats me." Jiro shrugged.

A howl drifted on the breeze, causing the two brothers to exchange an irritated glance. "Father," they groaned in unison.

Izayoi blinked. "Father? Who's your father?"

Immediately they were back by her side. "Why, only the strongest, most intelligent, and third most-dashingly handsome wolf youkai of all time," Taro replied, running his blue gaze over Izayoi's obvious charms.

"Right behind Taro and me," Jiro agreed, lifting Izayoi's hand again with the intention of licking his tongue over the smooth skin. "And I'd wager we'd be much better for you than that impotent mutt over there."

Izayoi shut her eyes, gritting her teeth as she fought the sensation to completely obliterate the twin lechers. It didn't really work- she ended up hitting them both in the head, causing major lumps. "Bakas! He's not my mate- he's my brother!"

They paused in the rubbing of their identical lumps to exchange a glance. "That's good," Taro said thoughtfully.

"That's very good," Jiro replied.

Amber leaned around her mate to look at the two wolf youkai. "Who is your father?" she asked, repeating Izayoi's question.

"Kouga, pack leader of the ookami," they replied in unison, bestowing dazzling smiles upon the kitsune (which was somewhat dampened by the fact that they both had large, red lumps on their heads).

Izayoi and Inusouta both growled. Masao and Amber exchanged puzzled glances. "Did we miss something?" he whispered to his friend.

Amber shrugged. "Dunno. I think so."

Inusouta bristled even more than he had been before, but this time Izayoi was right next to him. The twin inu-hanyous faced off against the somewhat confused twin ookami youkai. "Kouga is Minako's uncle by blood," Inusouta said coolly without taking his eyes off the wolves.

"Your adopted sister?" Masao asked.

"Hai. He wanted to kill her when she was a pup, just because she's a hanyou." Izayoi lifted her claws, ready to do some serious damage.

The twin wolves rolled their eyes. "That was ages ago," Taro said, waving his hand to dismiss the matter.

"Father has seen the error of his ways- Minako's been coming here for years to visit us and learn about the wolf clan. Didn't your father tell you?" Jiro asked pointedly.

Izayoi and Inusouta looked at each other.

"Mom might have mentioned it once or twice," Izayoi muttered, looking away from her brother.

"Kami," Inusouta grunted, "No one tells me anything."

"Well," Jiro said cheerfully, "now you know. The prejudiced old wolf has finally changed his pelt and is a good guy now."

The inu-hanyou snorted. "I will believe that when I see it."

The twins exchanged a glance. "Why don't you come with us then?" Taro asked with a cocky smile.

"And bring your… friends," Jiro added, giving both Amber and Izayoi a once-over.

Masao sighed. "Give us a moment to confer," he requested the wolf twins, who nodded cheerfully.

The four companions gathered together to discuss their options. "I think we should go with them," Masao said quietly.

"Nani? Why in all the hells should we?" Inusouta hissed, sounding more like his father by the minute.

Izayoi nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it…"

"Yeah, right," her brother muttered under his breath.

"…I think Mas is right. Maybe Kouga or Ayame know of any jewel shards. And," she added brightly, "maybe Minako is there!"

Inusouta shrugged. "Possible. I have not seen her in quite some time." He sighed, knowing he was outnumbered. "Very well- we will go with these flea-bags. But I do NOT want either one of you girls alone with either of them!"

Amber saluted. Izayoi grinned mischievously. "Hai, sir," they chorused.

The poor hanyou groaned. "Well, this is going to come back and bite me in the ass- I just know it."

His mate sidled up to him as the group broke and faced the twins again. "If it does, I'll be sure to kiss it and make it all better," she murmured seductively, her long, golden tail swishing gently behind her.

Quickly wrapping an arm around his mate, he hugged her close, his eyes locked on the two wolf youkai. "I'll remember that, vixen," came the soft reply.

Taro and Jiro immediately positioned themselves so that each wolf was escorting each girl. Amber and Izayoi blinked in surprise as they found themselves being led away by the two ookami youkai.

"Oi! Get your mangy hands off my mate!" Inusouta yelled as he jumped after the two wolves as they turned whirlwind and sped off with the girls.

Masao shook his head in wonder as Kirara mewed again. "Well, Kirara," he said as the cat jumped down and shifted to her full-size form for him to ride, "we've got a disgruntled hanyou… a miko from the future… a kitsune… a taijiya and a twin-tail… And now it would seem that we've found our hentai. Even if it is in the form of identical twin ookami youkai." Kirara roared in agreement as she took off after their companions.

He chuckled. "I wonder if I should've brought along Father's shakujou staff for one of them to carry…"

A mental picture formed of the two wolf brothers, dressed in the indigo and black robes his father used to wear when he was a monk, one holding the shakujou staff and the other holding his hand up as if praying- both were groping Izayoi's behind. Both had looks of absolute piety on their faces, but Izayoi had that same look his mother would get when Miroku would grab her rear at a particularly inopportune moment- as if someone had doused her with ice cold water.

Masao's laughter could be heard throughout the forest as Kirara raced after the others.

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A/N: Please read and review! .


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Yo, Dad! We're back!"

"And we brought a snack!"

Kouga rolled his eyes. The scent that accompanied his rogue offspring was anything but fresh game. For one thing, it was alive. The sound of fists meeting flesh had him turning away from his contemplation of the waterfall that partially hid his pack's den. He blinked as he saw his sons now knocked out on the ground, sporting huge bruises.

The source of the bruises seemed to be the two girls- two hanyous, to be precise- that were standing over the bodies looking very irritated.

"We are _not_ food!" the silver-haired one yelled, cracking her fingers in a distantly familiar way.

"You said we were guests!" the gold-haired one added, swishing her long tail in annoyance. _That one must be a kitsune hanyou_… he thought vaguely. His blue gaze drifted back to the silver-haired female, and he stared at her as he got a better look at her.

Inuyasha. He'd bet his life on it. This girl was that mutt's whelp.

A mixture of regret and amusement flooded through him. He felt horrible about the way he had behaved when he was younger- when Kagome and Inuyasha had come to him with his niece, Minako. Ayame had done her best to beat some sense into him after that, and when it seemed he was too stubborn, she threatened to take their cubs away.

That's what woke him up. Soon after that confrontation with Inuyasha, Ayame had gotten pregnant- his cubs, his pack's future. She informed him in not-so-many words that if he wanted to see his cubs after they were born, he'd stop this foolish prejudice against hanyous- there was no purpose to it and besides- he had wanted Kagome as his mate before, remember? They would've had hanyou wolf cubs.

Ah, Kagome. She was probably Inuyasha's mate now- this inu-hanyou girl must be her daughter. Although she didn't look a thing like her dark-haired mother. She was breathtakingly lovely in an entirely different way. Kouga cleared his throat as he stepped forward.

"Welcome to my den, ladies," he intoned, sweeping a gallant bow. "I am Kouga."

The inu-hanyou narrowed her eyes as she appraised him. "You don't look like a heartless bastard," she replied with a half grin.

Kouga heaved a bone-weary sigh. "You really are Inuyasha's cub, aren't you?"

"Got that right. Where's my sister?"

Kouga blinked. "Minako? She's inside- she and Ayame are tending to one of our wolves that is having problems with her litter."

"I want to see her. I need to make sure you didn't drown her."

The wolf prince winced, remembering his comment all those years ago that Minako deserved to be drowned because she was a half-breed. "Look, girl, I was younger and stupider back then. I love Minako as much as my own cubs. Probably more," he added, giving his twin lechers a rather irritated glare.

The inu-hanyou huffed, folding her hands inside her purple haori (_haori_?) and looking much like her father when he was annoyed. "Regardless- I still want to see her."

"No problem." Kouga turned and walked into the cave-den, leaving the two females alone with his unconscious sons.

Inusouta appeared, looking ready to do some slaughter to two specific wolf youkai. He paused, though, when he saw them laying on the ground, looking much the worse for wear. He glanced at his mate and sister, who grinned sheepishly.

"We can handle ourselves, nii-san," Izayoi said before Inusouta could utter a word.

Amber nodded. "Yup. We're big girls now."

Kirara ran through the bushes and came to a stop next to Inusouta so Masao could dismount. She shifted back to her tiny cat form and jumped back up on his shoulder, patiently waiting to see what events would play out next. The taijiya glanced at the two beat up wolves. "Remind me not to make you mad," he murmured to Izayoi.

"Treat me with respect and I won't," came the amused reply.

"Inu! Iza! It's been so long!" Minako exclaimed as she materialized from the darkness of the cave. She walked gracefully, lithely, over to her adoptive siblings. "It's so good to see you!"

Tall, dark, and demure, Minako was the total opposite of both Inuyasha and Kouga. She was quiet and thoughtful, always taking great care in considering her words before she spoke. She had trained in the modern era as a nurse for a while before settling here in Sengoku Jidai permanently. She said she was conceived here, born here, and she would live and die here. As much as she liked her adoptive mother's time, it just wasn't meant for a wolf hanyou like her.

Her black wolf ears twitched slightly as she embraced her sister, then her brother. The twins grinned at her, happy to see she was well and content. Minako's bright blue eyes- the same shade as Kouga's- landed on Amber, who stepped back slightly.

"Ah, yes. You are Amber, if I remember correctly. I'm glad to see that you survived your wounds."

Amber nodded, somewhat surprised that the wolf hanyou would remember her. "It… had something to do with my kitsune blood," she said lamely.

Inusouta wrapped an arm around her, giving his sister a rather stupid, love-fool grin. "She is my mate," he informed his adopted sister.

Minako chuckled. "I gathered that. I saw how protective you were of her." She glanced at the matching wedding bands on their left hands. "And I see you married her in a ningen ceremony as well. Good for you."

He gave his vixen a naughty little grin. "Now all that remains is getting her with pups."

Amber slapped him with her furry tail. "Stop that! There are other people around!"

"So? The more who know you are mine, the better."

The twins on the ground moaned as they gained consciousness. "What the hell just happened?" Taro groaned out.

"Felt like we got run over by Father when we get in his way." Jiro rubbed his head.

Izayoi nudged the closest one with her toe, which happened to be Taro. "So you're not dead… too bad."

They flashed her identical charming grins. "It takes more than that to get us down," Taro replied, licking his lips.

"But not very much to get us up," Jiro finished with a saucy wink at Amber.

Minako whirled on her cousins, her eyes flashing blue lightning. "You teinoushas [morons! This is my sister and my brother's mate! How dare you treat them like you are bitches in heat?"

The wolf hanyou stalked the identical perverts and proceeded to kick them both hard enough to send them flying into the den. "You're lucky _I'm_ dealing with you and not my brother, or you'd be neutered!" she hollered, completely out of character, as they sailed away into the darkness.

Everyone stared at her, completely stunned. Minako flashed them a pretty smile, her ears flattened slightly. "So what brings you here?" she asked brightly as if nothing had happened.

Masao whistled, impressed. "Remind me not to make _her_ mad either," he murmured to Kirara. The cat mewed in agreement.

-----------------------------

Kouga nodded thoughtfully as the group finished their story about their quest to find the last few jewel shards and bring them back to Kagome. Minako sat on one side of him and Ayame, lovely as ever despite bearing a litter of three, sat on the other. Kouga's only daughter, Yuri, was currently up in the mountains being trained by Ayame's pack. The twins sat in the corner of the cave, tending to their wounds and casting nervous glances at their cousin.

"So you see," Izayoi was saying, "any help on where the last shards might be would be greatly appreciated."

"Indeed," Inusouta added, the tai-youkai tone back in his voice now that he'd calmed down. "Mother is due to whelp another sibling in about four months, so we would like to return sometime before then."

The ookami prince blinked at the black-haired hanyou- who actually resembled Minako quite a bit with his black dog ears- and then threw his head back and barked out a laugh. "Kagome's pregnant again? After how many years?" He shook his head in wonder. "Why she'd want more clones of that mutt I'll never know," he said as he smiled.

Inusouta and Izayoi glared. "That 'mutt' is our father," Inusouta growled.

Kouga held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, relax. I've always called him that- even before… well, that's history. It's all in good-natured fun. He calls me a mangy wolf, I call him dog-shit- everybody's happy."

Amber let a smothered giggle escape before she could prevent it. Inusouta gave her a Look. "What?"

"It's just that… you called his sons 'wolf- sh'… you know. That same term, but instead of dog, you used wolf."

Ayame giggled. Minako sighed. Kouga roared with laughter. "That's about right," he managed to wheeze between chuckles. "I've had that same opinion of them myself."

"Uncle," Minako said quietly, placing a hand lightly on his arm, "shouldn't we be focusing on helping them find the shards?"

He nodded. "Ah, just like old times. Only this time I don't have any."

Izayoi blinked large gold eyes at him, leaning forward so that her rather abundant bosom pressed against the "V" of her haori, pulling one of her oldest tricks on the old wolf. "Onegai, Kouga-sama… don't you have any idea where we could start searching?"

Kouga's eyes locked onto the young hanyou's face and narrowed slightly. "I'm not my sons, little girl. I'm not swayed by feminine wiles."

Ayame gave an amused snort and punched her mate in the arm. "Well," he amended, "only _my_ female's wiles."

Taro and Jiro crept cautiously closer, staying on their best behavior (which wasn't easy) so that they didn't end up getting reacquainted with Minako's temper. Two pairs of eyes locked on Izayoi, who hadn't sat back yet. "We've heard of a jewel shard a few days' journey from here," Taro piped up.

"Yeah," Jiro nodded. "We can take you there."

Kouga bonked the nearest one- Jiro- on top of his head. "Bakas! Don't think I don't know what you're plotting!"

His sons blinked innocent eyes at their father. "Honest, Dad!" Taro exclaimed, actually serious for once.

"It's to the north, said to be held by the neko tribe in the mountains," Jiro added.

Kouga narrowed his eyes. He couldn't scent any deceit or ulterior motives, yet… "Fine. They will head north to the neko tribe, but you two will stay here. You are not to bother them, got it? Or I'll neuter you both."

Crestfallen, they sighed. "Hai, sir," they chorused lamely.

Izayoi winked at Kouga. "You're no fun," she said with a laugh.

Inusouta glared at his twin. "Iza… behave."

Gold eyes twinkled as her silver ears twitched merrily. "Never, brother dear. Not if I can help it."

The twin ookami youkai exchanged a glance. "Ooo, I like her," Toga murmured.

"I think I'm in love," Jiro declared.

Masao groaned. "I think we're all in trouble."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Amber glanced around as they made their way through the dense foliage the next morning, heading north toward the neko tribe's mountain. "Hey, Izayoi," she murmured to her friend, quietly so that Inusouta and Masao couldn't hear.

The raven-haired beauty turned her eyes toward the human-again girl. "What?"

"What's your opinion on those wolf twins?"

Izayoi nearly choked on air. "Opinion?"

Amber winked. "I thought Jiro was really cute."

"They're identical- how can one be cuter than the other?"

She shrugged slightly. "I have a thing for green eyes, I guess."

The now-human hanyou flicked a glance back at her brother, who was deep in conversation with the taijiya. "Yeah… I like Taro's blue ones better though…"

The two girls nearly collapsed in a fit of giggles. Inusouta and Masao didn't seem to notice, or at least, didn't seem to care. "I knew it! You were attracted to that hentai wolf, weren't you, Iza?" Amber asked in a hushed whisper.

Izayoi gave a huff. "There's nothing wrong with being a lecher as long as you ask permission first," she replied with a saucy grin.

Amber's jaw dropped. "You really _are_ bad, aren't you?" she giggled.

"You have _no_ idea."

Abruptly two whirlwinds appeared, coalescing into the subjects of their discussion. "If we have no idea of how bad you are," Taro began, lifting Izayoi's hand with the intention of giving it a seductive lick.

"Then you must be truly delightful indeed," Jiro finished, lifting Amber's hand in the same manner. Both girls flushed at the handsome wolves.

Inusouta finally noticed the two intruders. "Oi! Get your paws off my mate!" he growled as he rushed forward.

Jiro gave Amber a wink as he stepped back. "Hai, sir," he said gallantly, placing a hand over his heart and bowing. "It's just that you obviously weren't protecting her, so I thought I'd step in and do the job correctly."

Taro gave his twin a lopsided grin. "As well as the other job he can't seem to do correctly, right?"

"Hai. Getting this lovely kitsune with cubs would be a marvelous task indeed."

Inusouta pulled Amber away from the green-eyed wolf and proceeded to stare him down. "I thought your father told you to stay away from us or he'd neuter you."

"He did say that," Taro said, delicately placing a loving lick on the back of Izayoi's hand.

"But we came to warn you," Jiro finished, staring right back at the inu-hanyou in his face.

Masao stepped forward, concerned. "Warn us? About what?"

"The neko tribe," Taro said, rubbing the lump that Izayoi had created after he had licked her hand.

"What about them?" Inusouta prompted through gritted teeth.

"They're attacking and killing all humans that approach their mountain. None have escaped," Jiro explained seriously.

"And Father and Mother, not to mention Minako, were worried about the four of you being human right now and trying to get that shard back," Taro finished for once.

The four humans exchanged a glance. "Well, how do they feel about hanyous?" Amber asked logically.

The twins gave an identical shrug. "Most youkai don't like them, but the nekos may be more tolerant of hanyous than humans."

The three hanyous turned to Masao. "That would make you their next meal," Amber informed the young man with a wink.

The taijiya gave a Miroku-like sigh. "I suppose I have to stay behind then?" Kirara mewed.

"No," Inusouta replied, pulling him along. "We're doing this together or we might as well go home."

"We're coming too," Taro piped up.

"Someone has to protect the ladies," Jiro added, flashing Amber another wink.

Inusouta stepped between the wolf and the kitsune. "Stop that. She belongs to me."

Izayoi heaved a sigh as she shifted to hanyou form. "Can we just do this? We don't have time for your silly jealous rages."

Her brother gave her a cool look that radiated indifference. "I am _not_ jealous. She is already my mate- what is there to be jealous of?"

Jiro winked as he leaned closer to the inu-hanyou. Amber had already shifted to her hanyou form as well and had begun to walk away, side by side with her sister-in-law, her long golden tail swishing gently behind her. "Green eyes, mate," the wolf whispered with a grin, pointing to the aforementioned orbs. "Kits love 'em."

Taro thwacked his brother upside his head. "Baka! Blue eyes are more manly! Green eyes belong on a girl!"

Jiro growled and pounced on his brother. The two began to fight, rolling around in the dirt. Masao sighed as he and Inusouta walked away. The inu-hanyou shifted to his own hanyou form as he stuffed his hands inside his dark blue haori sleeves. "Baka ookami," he muttered as they left the brawling brothers behind.

------------------------

"Oi! We've got some live ones here!"

Two male neko youkai hurried over to where the lookout was standing. He pointed down at the approaching females.

"Finally!" one of them exclaimed, rubbing his hands together with glee. "We've found some females!"

"Maybe our clan won't die out after all," the other replied, looking hopeful. "Someone better fetch the boss or else he'll be pissed."

"Gotcha," said the third, immediately turning around and racing up the mountain.

The remaining two nekos gazed down at the two females. "That silver-haired one looks absolutely delicious," the lookout commented.

"Those ears- you think she's hanyou?"

Shrug. "Possible. But why be picky when two gorgeous females with youkai blood show up at our doorstep?"

The second guard glanced up from the approaching girls. "Uh, oh," he muttered, narrowing his cat-like eyes. "They've brought others."

"Others?" the lookout queried, glancing in the same direction as his companion. Sure enough another hanyou- this one with black hair and ears to match the silver female- and a human male riding the back of a great two-tail youkai cat were following the two girls. "Damn! You think those are their mates?"

"Who knows?" the guard growled, flexing his claws. "They're as good as dead anyway. There's too many males around here as it is."

"But if they've got mates already…"

"Use your nose, baka! Do either of them smell like they're carrying kittens?"

The lookout flushed. "No… so I guess they're both up for grabs."

The guard nodded. "Even that two-tail… she's gonna be fair game, too. Not my type, but there are others…"

"We'll just have to dispose of the meddlesome males and then we can have our way with the three females, right?"

"You got it."

---------------------------

Izayoi and Amber glanced around, concerned. "Don't you think we should've come across someone by now? A guard… a lookout…"

Four male neko youkai appeared out of midair and landed lithely on the ground, effectively surrounding the two girls.

"An ambush…" Izayoi added wryly as she sized up her opponents.

"Amber!" Inusouta cried out when he saw his mate being effectively restrained and yanked away. He ran forward only to be knocked backwards by a surprise attack from two more nekos.

"Inusouta!" the kitsune called back, struggling against her captors. Izayoi growled and cracked her knuckles in a familiar way.

"Get your paws off my sister!" she snarled as she slashed ineffectively at the remaining two nekos. They simply smirked and dodged her inexperienced attacks, racing forward to capture her in the same way as Amber.

Masao nudged Kirara. "Go, Kirara!" he yelled as the cream and black feline leapt forward, intent on rescuing the inu-hanyou.

Another neko knocked the taijiya off the cat while two others managed to wrap a rope around her neck and body. The one stood guard over Masao with his claws at his throat as the other two pulled Kirara away. "Where are you taking her?" he asked angrily.

The neko pricked Masao's neck with his claws- just enough to draw blood. "Silence, ningen," the youkai hissed, the slits of his pupils contracting to thin lines. "Your death will be forthcoming. For now, we take your females to our boss."

The girls were now out of sight and Inusouta had effectively dealt with the remaining neko youkai, which had kept him occupied while the others spirited away his mate and sister. He whirled and kicked the last neko standing over Masao into a nearby tree. "Bastards," he growled as he helped his friend to his feet.

"We have to save the girls," Masao pointed out. "But how are the two of us going to fight all those neko youkai? I don't have my father's Kazaana and my skill with Mother's Hiraikotsu is still mediocre. And as powerful as you are, my friend, I don't think you can destroy a hundred youkai with one stroke of your swords like Tetsusaiga."

Twin whirlwinds appeared behind them, dissipating to reveal the identical ookami youkai, looking none the worse for wear after their brawl. "We're here to help," Taro said, his blue eyes narrowing.

"No one takes our future mates and survives," Jiro added.

Inusouta bonked the green-eyed wolf on the head. "Dumbass! Amber is my mate- not yours! If you want to help us, quit calling Amber your mate!"

The twins exchanged a glance. Taro shrugged. "Don't look at me. My eye is on his sister, not his mate."

Jiro sighed. "Very well. What matters now is the girls' safety. We have to get them back, regardless. Right?"

"Hai," came the unanimous response.

"Let's go, gentlemen," Inusouta said, turning toward the mountain, ready to do some damage.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5****  
**  
Amber glanced over at her unconscious friend now lying on the floor of the huge cave the nekos had brought them to. Izayoi had been knocked out by a particularly violent neko and although Amber tried to help her and fight back, she had been ultimately restrained, bound and gagged. All she could do was gaze helplessly at the inu-hanyou as a thin trickle of blood dripped off a temple wound. Amber's hands were tied in such a way that there was no possible way for her to use her Fox Fire- and that irritated her to no end.

_Blasted neko! Who do they think they're dealing with? We're related to Inuyasha, for Kami's sake! Youkai hear his name and tremble!_ She growled, unable to really do more than that with the gag in her mouth. Of course, she might have been exaggerating about the whole trembling part, but still- Inuyasha was a fighting force to be reckoned with, regardless.

Of course, Izayoi had gone on this quest in order to prove to her father that she didn't need him. She had to learn to defend herself- or else she would never be allowed to grow up. And now, she was injured and unconscious. Inuyasha would never forgive his son- or his daughter-in-law, who had requested to follow Izayoi to protect her.

A rumbling laughter drifted through the dank air of the cave, causing Amber's ears to lay flat. She glanced up to see a huge, white neko youkai enter the area where she and Izayoi had been left.

He actually resembled a large, fat, white cat more than anything else. A huge gold bell was around his neck and his gigantic gold eyes made him look like anyone's innocent house-pet. However, Amber suspected he was no tame kitty cat. She narrowed her sapphire eyes at him.

"Mrowr," the neko purred, a delighted smile upon his feline face. "How wonderrrful! Two brrrrides forrr me! Excellent worrrrk, boys!"

The two neko youkai standing behind the large white cat bowed respectfully. "Our pleasure, boss," they replied in unison.

The "boss" neko stepped closer, sniffing Izayoi delicately. He winced before glaring at his lackeys. "Mmrowrr, this one's an inu! How darrre you brrring me a dog forrr a brrrrride?!"

Amber tried to growl again, wishing she were free so she could chase this damn cat up a tree. _Like she'd want to be your bride anyway, fatcat! We're just here looking for a jewel shard! If only I could get a hand free, you'd be frying…_

The neko leaned closer to Izayoi, sniffing again. He scowled. "Who hurrrt this inu? You werrre told not to harrrrm them!"

One of the lackeys stepped forward. "She was injured during a struggle with Doshi, boss. She, erm… didn't want to come with us."

The neko boss looked absolutely horrified. He turned to the cave opening and, opening his feline mouth, bellowed out across the mountainside. "Ishimarrru! Get yourrr tail in herrrre! Immediately!!"

Amber watched as, a few moments later, a young neko appeared in the cave entrance. She blinked several times in succession as she realized that this neko was different from the others. Not only did he have a head of long silver hair, much like her sister-in-law and father-in-law, but he had two large slate-colored neko ears on his head rather than the pointed youkai ears of the other neko. His eyes were bright blue and he walked with a shy, hesitant gait. A long, smooth slate-colored tail trailed behind him.

_He's hanyou_, she thought in surprise. _Why would they let a hanyou live with them?_

The hanyou stopped before the great white cat and bowed slightly. "You called for me, sir?" he asked quietly, respectfully.

The boss neko pointed to the unconscious girl on the floor. "She's injurrrred," he growled. "You arrre to tend to herrrr and heal herrr. She's to be one of my brrrrides."

The hanyou watched as the boss neko and his two lackeys left. Once they were out of sight, he turned his gaze to Amber. His blue eyes were unblinking as he stared at her. "You're a kitsune hanyou, aren't you?"

She nodded, unable to speak because of the gag in her mouth. She tried to ask him to remove it, but it only came out as garbled mumbles. He knelt down by Izayoi's side, checking her head wound.

"I'm not really sure why he demanded I help," he murmured, almost to himself. "This is just a small cut- nothing that won't heal in a few hours." He glanced back at Amber. "She is inu?"

This time Amber sighed, glaring at him. The neko hanyou gave her a small grin as he reached over and sliced off her gag with a claw. She took a deep breath of air before shooting another Look at him. "Took you long enough!" she whispered.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Would you prefer the gag back? I'd be more than happy to oblige."

Amber huffed softly before settling back down. "Who are you? What is all this nonsense about a bride? Where's the jewel shard?"

He stared at her in silence for a moment. Tilting his head to the side as he looked at her, he said quietly, "My name is Ishimaru. And you sure demand a lot of answers for someone bound and previously gagged."

He worked at the small wound on the inu's temple, his tail flicking a bit and showing his irritation. Working from a small pouch on his side, he placed a select few herbs on the cut and wrapped a bandage around it before carefully feeling around the rest of her skull for any more injuries.

"They treat me like dirt yet they bring these women that have even less demon blood than me in as mates..." he muttered to himself as he found a rather large lump on the side of her head, just under her soft, silver-furred ear. Not only had she gotten cut, but apparently took a rather severe blow to the head as well. Nothing he could do for that…

The inu-hanyou moaned, lifting a hand weakly to rest against her forehead. Her ears were drooped and her eyes were still closed. Ishimaru moved over to her side as she tried to sit up. "Don't," he said gently. "You need to take it easy. You've got quite a lump on your head."

She opened her eyes and his breath caught at their deep gold color as he got a clear look at her face. _This inu… she's… she's absolutely stunning…_

"Wh-… where am I?" she whispered, so low he had to strain to hear her. "Who… are you?"

He smiled gently. "My name is Ishimaru… I'm a healer, of sorts. You're in the cave of the neko tribe."

Confusion flickered in those endless amber eyes. "Neko?"

He nodded. "Don't you remember? The others captured you and your companion not too far away from here." He indicated the bound kitsune not too far away.

Izayoi struggled to sit up, only to be supported by an arm around her shoulders. She flushed as she tried to concentrate on the hanyou before her and not the one touching her. She blinked several times.

She looked back at Ishimaru with confused eyes. "Who is she?" she asked, bewilderment evident in her voice.

Amber's jaw dropped. "Bloody hell, Izayoi! What's wrong with you?" She stared at Ishimaru in complete shock. "What did you do to her? Why doesn't she remember who I am?"

The neko hanyou merely raised an eyebrow at her. "I did nothing." He turned to the kitsune. "Do you remember your name?" She nodded. "Do you remember how you got here?"

She shook her head. "I don't remember… I don't remember anything..."

Ishimaru nodded slightly. "This must have been caused by that blow she took to the head. There's nothing we can do to help her regain her memory, except wait and hope her memory comes back on its own."

Izayoi glanced from one to another, looking much confused. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, rather timidly- most unlike her. "I… I don't… I don't know you, but could you… could you please stop looking at him like you're about to kill him? I…" she shuddered. "I can't stand violence."

Amber looked at the inu-hanyou like she had never seen her before, either. "What do you mean? You're a fighter! Your father is Inuyasha! Your mother is Kagome, the miko who helped defeat Naraku! You have her spiritual powers! You're as deadly as any one of us!"

Izayoi shuddered again, looking away. Ishimaru gave her a comforting squeeze around her shoulders since he was still supporting her. His tail swished contentedly. Amber scowled.

"Oi! Cat-boy! Get your paws off my mate's sister!" _Bloody hell… now I'm starting to sound like my father-in-law…_

Both the neko hanyou and the inu hanyou startled, staring at her in surprise. "Mate? You're mated already?" Ishimaru asked.

"Yes! I married her brother in a Christian ceremony no less than six months ago! Look at my left hand!"

Ishimaru glanced down at the kitsune's left hand, blinking at the white-gold band resting on her fourth finger. He shook his head. "Youkai don't use metals to prove mated status. Youkai are considered mated when the female is pregnant with her first litter." He sniffed delicately. "And you're not carrying kittens, er, I mean, kits. So you can't be mated."

Amber sighed. "I swear on my life that I am. So there is no way that I'm going to be that fat cat's bride. Nor is my sister."

Izayoi looked alarmed. "I have to mate with a cat?" She looked at Ishimaru. "With you?"

Ishimaru flushed. "I… I…"

She turned up to him, her face extremely close to his. "Are... you to be my mate?"

He froze, his gaze locked with hers. _Kami… I could lose myself in those eyes…_ Her words drifted vaguely through his mind although he really didn't comprehend them. "Say that again?"

She blinked. "I asked if you were... going to be my mate… She said I had to mate with a cat, and you seem so nice and you smell good…" she trailed off, embarrassed.

Ishimaru stared at her, a million and a half thoughts running through his head. The first and foremost being, _Take her! Claim her as yours! Tell her you'll be her mate!_

Her lips were so close… so agonizingly close. All he had to do was tip his head slightly and he'd be tasting her, kissing his first girl ever. And it was sooooo tempting…

What should he do?

-----------------  
**A/N: Yes, to those who are wondering, the neko boss in this story is the ghost cat from Ranma 1/2. I wasn't feeling too inspired when I first wrote this over a year ago (I'm editing chapters as I'm posting these, btw), so we'll just have to go with it. Okies?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6****  
**  
Ishimaru took a deep mental breath and pulled away from the enchanting inu. It was terrible that he had even _considered_ taking advantage of her memory loss like that. It made his stomach twist in a most disgusting way. "Gomen nasai, but no, I can't be your mate."

Izayoi sighed.

"Not that I don't wish I were."

She glanced up abruptly, surprised. The kitsune female muttered something under her breath although the couple before her seemed to only have eyes for each other. Izayoi looked deep into his azure gaze, touched by the affection and gentleness therein.

Ishimaru gave her a small smile. _She is delightful… and so soft-spoken. Gentle, caring, polite… She would make a truly spectacular mate…_ Visions of little inu/neko hanyou children playing in a field as he and this lovely female watched and laughed in delight danced through his head. _But she doesn't deserve a nothing hanyou like me. She deserves so much more…_

He immediately saddened. She noticed and was instantly worried. "What's wrong?"

The neko looked away. "You're here to be our boss's bride. You'll soon be his mate, so my desires mean naught."

Izayoi blinked. "Boss? Who's that?"

"Maomorin. He's the lead neko of the clan and has been looking for a bride for quite some time. His tribe is made up of all males- they are in dire need of females to continue their bloodlines, even if they must mix species."

The kitsune regarded him quietly for a moment. "You refer to the neko as 'they.' Are you not also a neko?"

He winced. "I'm just a hanyou," he mumbled. "They keep me around because I'm good with herbs and plants. I'm considered something of a healer around here."

As if to give proof to his words, the two neko lackeys returned to see how the females were faring. "Hey, half-shit. That inu healed yet?"

Ishimaru tramped down the urge to punch the arrogant bastard's face in. He was used to being called humiliating names, but to be referred to as such in front of the lovely Izayoi- someone he'd die to have as his mate- boiled up some long-dormant rage.

"Her temple wound was not serious but she suffered a blow to the head and does not remember her past," he replied, through almost-clenched teeth.

"She won't need her memories for what the boss has in store for 'er!" one of them chortled suggestively.

The other one laughed garishly. Then he smirked at Ishimaru. "She better be in 'working order,'" he told the hanyou, "or we'll make _you_ the boss's mate!"

The two neko brown-nosers laughed riotously at that as they turned and left the cave. Their horrid laughter echoed long after they had gone.

Amber turned to Ishimaru, her sapphire eyes wide with shock. "Why… why were they so mean to you?"

He shrugged, trying to shrug off the anger and embarrassment as well. "I'm used to it. They… don't like me much."

Izayoi didn't understand. "What is this about 'what the boss has in store' for me? Can't you just claim me as your mate? Then he can't try and make me his bride."

_If only it were that easy, beautiful. There's nothing I'd want more._ He shook his head. "He's allowed me to live here and eat their food." Yeah, their leavings after they were all done with the main parts. "And I'm just a hanyou. I'm not worthy of having a mate."

"Says who?" she demanded. "You're still a person- someone who deserves love and respect. You're probably more worthy of having a mate than any of these bakas."

He had to grin at her sudden defensive attitude over his situation. _Such a little spitfire when she wants to be… all calm and demure on one side and feisty as hell on the other. Oh, Kami, I think I'm in love._ "Be that as it may, the only way to free you is to challenge the boss and win, which I'm unlikely to achieve."

Amber glanced at Izayoi before fixating her sapphire stare on Ishimaru again. "You said that you could free us if you challenged your boss. Why not do it?"

"Why should I?"

Amber tilted her head back, prayed for forgiveness from multiple sources, and lowered her chin to look him squarely in the eye. "For her," she said, indicating Izayoi. "If you want her, free her. Can you really go on about your business knowing that she's being forced to mate with that hairball against her will?"

That gave him pause. He was quiet for a long time, staring silently at the stone wall. Amber sat nervously, her unbound tail twitching occasionally. 

He opened his mouth to speak when an extremely irritated and angry voice yelled out, followed by a cave-shaking so violent he thought the ceiling would come crashing down on them. Ishimaru wrapped Izayoi in his arms to protect her and she readily accepted his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

As delighted as he was with her faith in him to protect her, he was more worried as to what had created the near-cave-in. Amber sighed, causing Ishimaru to look very wary.

"He's here," she said, shaking her head almost in disgust. "My apparently short-tempered mate has decided to finally show up."

Ishimaru and Izayoi both looked toward the entrance of the cave, anxiety heavy on their nerves. Izayoi was distinctly afraid- that was an obvious energy attack- and the user sounded so violent, so angry. If that was Amber's mate… and Amber had said that her mate was Izayoi's brother… She shuddered, clutching at Ishimaru's shirt and hiding her face once again. _No… I don't want to go with him! I want to stay with Ishimaru!_

"Oi!" "We got 'im!" "Drag his ugly half-breed ass into the cave with the others!" Shouts and other incomprehensible words followed, until a group of no less than four neko guards appeared at the cave entrance, carrying a very securely bound and unconscious inu-hanyou.

Abruptly disengaging from Izayoi so that the guards wouldn't suspect anything, Ishimaru stood and moved to the side to allow the other neko to toss the inu against the wall like so much trash. One of the guards turned to Ishimaru.

"Keep an eye on that one, half-shit. He's a rabid one." He smirked at Amber, who was half-hidden in shadow and thus, her lack of a gag went unnoticed. They guffawed as they turned and left the cave again.

Ishimaru moved over to the male inu's side, the impulse to help anything injured taking over for the moment. He looked at him, a twinge of something squeezing his heart. _So this… he's supposed to be Izayoi's brother. Is he really?_

He glanced over at Izayoi, who was huddled against the wall, confusion all over her lovely face as she stared at the black-haired inu male on the floor. Standing, he moved quickly to her side, gently taking her shoulders in his hands. "Izayoi? Tenshi, are you okay?"

She shook her head. "I'm… so tired," she whispered. "May I sleep for a while?"

The neko looked concerned, but nodded. "I'll wake you in a little while. You rest, okay?"

Izayoi smiled weakly as she lay down on the hard rocky floor. Ishimaru removed his shirt and placed it under her head as a pillow, uncaring that he was now half-naked. He ran his hand over her silver hair, longingly.

Amber, even though she was mated and very much in love with her "bad dog," couldn't help but run her eyes over the bare chest now displayed before her. After all, she was a female… and he looked _good_.

He moved over to the male inu and, unceremoniously, rolled him somewhat roughly to the middle of the cave floor so he could get a better look at him. Amber scowled.

"Can't you be nicer to him?"

Ishimaru gave her a bored look. "Do I have to?"

An irritated grunt followed by a groan caught both their attentions. Ishimaru looked down to see the blue-garbed inu-hanyou struggle into consciousness. "Ow… what the hell happened? Where's Amber? And my sister? What the fuck did you do with them?" he growled, baring his fangs. Amber blinked in surprise- he must be _really_ pissed off if he was snarling and cursing like Inuyasha.

The neko's eyes, which was already somewhat cool, turned to ice. "I did nothing, inu. Your sister sleeps, peacefully." He pointed over to the lovely inu, her already enchanting features angelic in repose.

The inu-hanyou frowned. "How do you know my name?" he asked, his voice changing from the previous gruffness to cool indifference. Ishimaru simply looked perplexed.

"Inusouta!" Amber called to her mate from her spot by the wall.

"Amber!" Inusouta looked infinitely relieved. His mate was fine- tied up like a heifer, but none the worse for wear. "Vixen, are you okay?"

"I'd be better if I were out of here."

The neko scratched an ear at that, his long tail swishing from side to side. He shrugged. "Not likely to happen. The boss will soon be here to claim his brides. Since she is already mated, you, mongrel, will be killed."

The male inu stared at the neko. "What... did you say? My mate and my sister are _not_ available for mating!"

Ishimaru raised an eyebrow at him. "Neither of them is carrying kittens," he said for the second time in as many moments. "Therefore they are free and will be taken as Lord Maomorin's mates."

"Like hell!"

"Look," the neko hanyou hissed, his ears flattening against his skull, his eyes narrowing and his fangs bared at the inu. "I feel the same way as you about this, but I have no choice. It is his command."

Gold eyes locked with blue. Inusouta pondered the neko's choice words. "You feel the same way I do? What do you mean?"

"Inusouta!" Amber cried, her voice betraying her worry. "He's in love with Izayoi!"

"Say what?!"

The neko flushed but didn't deny it. "If things were different," he said quietly but with a deadly seriousness, "I'd take her as my mate, if she'd have me. Then Maomorin couldn't have her."

"Oh, hell no," Inusouta snorted, rolling his eyes. "She will not be anyone's mate unless they prove themselves worthy. And as her brother, I can say our father will _not_ approve of anyone, least of all a neko."

"I don't care if she's your sister!" he hissed back, the fur on his tail starting to stand on end. He was really starting to get pissed now. "She doesn't even remember you!"

That got Inusouta to pause. "What? She what?"

"She's got amnesia," Amber told him, using a term that Ishimaru had never heard before. "She got hit in the head during our capture and her memory's gone. She doesn't remember me or you, or even your parents. She's completely forgotten Inuyasha and Kagome."

The handsome inu-hanyou stared in complete confusion. "That does _not_ make any sense. Everyone knows our father and mother- they destroyed Naraku! They are even in the history books in Mother's time."

The neko snorted. "Ask her yourself when she wakes up. You'll see for yourself that she wants nothing to do with you."

-----------

**A/N: Tenchi - heavenly gift, angel**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Ishimaru? What's going on?" The two hanyous turned to see Izayoi sitting up now, looking tired and worn. Ishimaru moved over to her side, putting his arms around her, concerned about her reaction to seeing the brother she didn't remember.

"Oi!" the inu-hanyou growled. "Leave my sister alone..."

Izayoi cringed at the anger in his voice, trying to move closer to Ishimaru, her only source of comfort.

"Izayoi!" Inusouta barked. Surely she would remember him- he was her brother, her _twin_ for Kami's sake. "Pest, don't you know me? These damn cats did this to you, didn't they?"

Izayoi cowered away from the black-haired hanyou, afraid that he would hurt her if he got too close- even though he was still bound. She could tell just by listening to him that he was lethal when he was angry- and she wanted no part of that. "I don't know you," she whispered. "Don't... don't talk to me. Just leave me alone..." She turned to Ishimaru and hid her face in his bare chest, seeking comfort from what she felt was the only gentle soul in the cave. His arms folded around her protectively as Inusouta stared in absolute shock.

Inusouta growled again, wishing he could rip the neko's throat out with his claws. "You have exactly five seconds to get your paws off my sister."

This threat was greeted by a very bored look. "In case your eyes are going bad, she came to me. I did not force her, nor did I coerce her. She came to me of her own free will."

Inusouta growled and Izayoi whimpered, hugging Ishimaru's naked waist tighter. "I'm not leaving you," she whispered against his skin, her hot breath sending shivers all over his body. "I won't go with him!"

He stroked her silky silver tresses a bit to try to comfort her as she tried to tuck herself in his chest. "It's ok," he murmured to her, which got him another growl from Inusouta. 

"Lost her memory? How? What did you do to her?"

Ishimaru gave a sigh as he regarded the inu flatly. "I have done nothing to her and I have to comfort her because you are too stupid to realize you are scaring the hell out of her." Perhaps if he was brash and blunt like this baka dog, Inusouta would finally understand.

The inu's ears drooped a bit more and she whimpered. "Ishi… help me…"

Ishimaru looked down at Izayoi, who stared back up at him. Emotional agony and fear was clear in her eyes, even if her memory was still muddled. She looked absolutely scared and breathtakingly lovely. He couldn't have her… The ultimate forbidden fruit- his boss's imminent bride. _Yet… I may die for it… but before I go… I want to taste heaven._

He stood, pulling Izayoi up with him. Her arms were still around his bare waist and his right arm encircled her shoulder and rested against the nape of her neck. He lifted her chin with his left hand. "Tenchi," he whispered, ignoring everything else around him. For once, he was going to take what he wanted- even though it might mean his death.

Quick as a flash, he lowered his mouth to hers and captured her lips in a gentle yet firm kiss. Inusouta strained against his bonds, his eyes blazing in fury. "You just signed your death warrant, cat…"

Ishimaru grudgingly broke off the kiss, noting that Izayoi's eyes no longer held the pain and fear from before. Instead, another emotion seemed to have taken over the golden orbs. He didn't dare hope…

"I'm going to fucking kill you, you damn bastard," Inusouta growled, giving into his usually well-restrained temper.

"Just leave him alone!" Izayoi cried, surprising Ishimaru with her defense. "I'm not your property! I would never want to be around someone as violent and foul-mouthed as you!"

Inusouta looked at her as if she were completely nuts. "Izayoi... you are ten times as foul-mouthed as I am..."

"I don't know you!" she replied, tears in her eyes as she turned and fled to the side of the cave, attempting to stay as far away from the irate inu as possible.

Ishimaru glared at Inusouta. "Why can't you keep your mouth shut?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed and his tail fur standing on end. "Can't you see that every time you speak, you scare her?"

"She is my sister, feline. I will speak to her however I choose."

The boss's two lackeys appeared, intent on giving their prisoners a hard time. They chortled when they saw Ishimaru half-dressed and his tail fur still partially on end. "What's wrong, half-shit? Dog got your fur in a knot?"

"Why are you here again?" Ishimaru replied, ignoring the barb.

They smirked. "Boss says for you to stay here. You're not allowed to leave."

"Huh?" He looked utterly confused. "Why?"

"To be with your new mate, of course!" they laughed maliciously. One guard grabbed Ishimaru and forced him to his knees, holding his hands behind his back with one hand and the other crushing his windpipe as he struggled, while the other grabbed the bound Inusouta and brought him forward. They pushed the two males' struggling faces together so that they were mushed together, trying to force them to kiss.

"Go on, half-shit! Kiss your new mate!" They roared and laughed in cruel delight.

_They are __**dead**_, came the identical thoughts in both males' minds.

Izayoi gasped from her position against the far wall. She stared in horror at the scene before her.

The guards released their victims and sauntered over to the frightened girl. "So… she's awake," one purred. Ishimaru coughed and spluttered, fighting to get his breath back.

"Think we should try her out before the boss gets her? Make sure she's a good ride?"

The other nodded. "She may be a bitch, but I'm sure she'll learn new tricks fast. If we're lucky, she'll end up with our kittens instead of the boss's. Youkai like him shouldn't breed anyway."

"You probably mean _can't_, right?" They roared with laughter again. One stepped forward, his hand going to the front of her haori and tearing it open. She whimpered, her eyes full of fear as he pulled her to her feet, ripping off the rest of the purple haori in the process. She tried pull away and cover her bare breasts when the neko pulled back a hand and slapped her, hard, across the cheek, leaving four slashes on her cheek from his claws.

"Bitch! You'll get fucked and you'll like it!"

In a flash of blue light, the shirtless Ishimaru had swung his sword, which no one had seen him draw, effectively silencing the would-be rapist. His body disintegrated before it even hit the floor. The other gazed in shock and fear at the tip of Ishimaru's blade, now pointed at his throat.

"Tell Maomorin that I'm challenging him. Bring his sniveling tail here immediately or I will obliterate you as well."

The remaining lackey nodded slightly, not taking his eyes off the blade. He turned tail, as it were, and fled out of the cave.

As soon as the other neko was out of sight, he moved over to Izayoi, retrieving his shirt and handing it to her to cover her nakedness. She was shaking and her ears were completely flat against her head.

Amber called out to the neko. "Please, Ishimaru… let us loose! We need to see if she's okay!"

Ishimaru turned and stared at them, his eyes cold. Two pairs of eyes- one gold and one sapphire- stared back at him.

"I just did. She is fine."

"Set us loose and we will assist you." Inusouta looked rather irritated.

"This fight with Maomorin is to be fought between him and I- you two cannot interfere."

"Baka!" Amber muttered. "My mate and I are nigh on unbeatable when we fight together!"

His eyes grew cold. "I told you. This fight is between him and me. Stay out of it. You would have to promise to not get in the way."

"Just free us already!"

"Promise, or you can stay tied for all I care."

Inusouta sighed and Amber managed to thwap him with her tail. "We swear."

Ishimaru moved over to the couple. He cut their ties and watched emotionlessly as Inusouta pulled off the newly-cut bonds so he could scurry over to his mate. Amber tossed her own to the floor and flung herself into her mate's arms. Inusouta ignored the neko for the moment- his time would come later- and kissed his kitsune, thankful that she was okay. He turned back to his sister, crouched on the floor in uncharacteristic fear.

"Iza? Izayoi, it is I- Inusouta. Do... do you not remember me? Your brother? Your twin?" Her gold eyes went wide in shock as she tried to back away from him. Her eyes held no recognition.

"Get away," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear even with his hanyou hearing. "Don't come near me…"

His black dog ears twitched. He gave her a Look. "Cease looking at me as if you wish to _Kaze no Kizu_ my tail back to Mother's era."

Izayoi blinked. "What… what's a _Kaze no Kizu_?" She looked at Ishimaru.

The neko's face was carefully neutral but she could see the concern in the topaz depths. "It doesn't matter," he murmured, moving closer and running his hand lightly over the cuts on her lovely cheek. _How in Kami's name they could mar a perfect face like this…_ "Are… are you okay? Did he hurt you?" he asked as he moved over by her side, ignoring the death-glare from the black-haired inu.

Izayoi's gaze flickered back to the hanyou claiming to be her brother. Her eyes still held a great amount of fear as she looked at him. He reached out to touch her- and she whimpered and threw herself into Ishimaru's protective embrace.

"Ishi… don't let him take me…"

"Mrowr… what is the meaning of this?"

The four looked over to see the large white cat youkai standing in the entrance to the cave, the lone lackey standing next to him. Several neko guards stood behind them, blocking the exit.

Before anyone could react, he pulled away and handed Izayoi over to Amber. "Take care of her," he said as he pulled out his sword once more.

--------------

**A/N: To those who forgot: Tenchi heavenly gift, angel**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8****  
**  
Maomorin stared in amusement and irritation at the neko hanyou pointing a blade at him. "What do you think you'rrrre doing, Ishimarrrrru? You know betterrr than to brrrandish a blade at me…"

"I'm challenging you, Maomorin. I will fight you- and if I win, these three captives and your jewel shard belong to me."

The fat white cat chortled. "As if _you_ could defeat _me_… verrry well, hanyou! Yourrrr challenge has been accepted!"

He stepped forward, moving further into the cave. Stopping just shy of the center of the room, he put his furry paws on his gold bell and began rubbing it- as if he were shining it. Inusouta and Amber watched, perplexed. _What the hell is he doing?_ they both thought.

"Ghost Cat Incantation!" Maomorin purred loudly. A thin, white mist began to stream out from the bell, filling the cave with fog. As the four hanyous looked around warily as visibility shrank, the giant cat disappeared, leaving only the large gold bell hanging in mid-air.

Amber blinked. Izayoi huddled against the wall behind her, her eyes wide with fear and anxiety- that alone had her brother and sister-in-law worried. Izayoi was never scared. Inusouta stood between Ishimaru and the two females, willing to protect them with his body alone if need be.

The neko hanyou tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes locked on the gold bell. He swung his sword in an attempt to slice it in half- only to pass right through it. Blue eyes blinked in confusion. _Is it an illusion?_

The bell swung towards him and hit him full in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. He landed with a grunt, wincing only at the cry of dismay his sensitive hearing picked up from Izayoi. _This has got to be so hard on her… she says she hates violence… and she's being forced to watch me get my tail kicked._

The reminder of exactly who he was fighting for had him on his feet in a matter of seconds. He swung his blade at the bell again, only to pass through it once more. The bell moved around to his flank and barreled into him yet again, causing him to land on the cold hard stone roughly and his sword to get knocked away from his grip.

Izayoi gasped- she could feel the tug of the something… It was near the back of the cave, hidden in the shadows. She looked over and saw the mostly-hidden Maomorin trying to control his chortling as he rubbed his bell- the real bell- obviously controlling the fake bell beating the stuffing out of Ishimaru.

Glancing at Ishimaru and wincing as she saw the neko fight, Izayoi called out, pointing. "Ishimaru! The real cat is behind you! And there's something in his bell!"

"A lot of good that does me now," he muttered under his breath as he staggered to his feet. His sword was now between the fake bell and the still-chuckling Maomorin, and the fake bell was between him and his sword. Ishimaru moved swiftly, landing next to the overly-protective inu male. He glanced at Inusouta, who looked ready to slice something open- probably him. "Inusouta- can you fight?"

The inu-hanyou gave him a blank stare. "I thought we were supposed to stay out of it."

Ishimaru glared, his tail swishing irritably. "Just distract him so I can get my sword back!" he hissed.

"If you promise to keep your paws off my sister," he replied.

"Dammit, if I lose, it won't matter! Just help me and we'll deal with this later!"

"Very well," Inusouta agreed reluctantly. Retying his hair in a low ponytail, he cracked his knuckles and raced toward Maomorin in his hiding place, hoping to catch the cat by surprise. "_Sakkon tessou_!"

Izayoi stared in wonder as the black-haired hanyou slashed his claws at the cat, forcing him to jump backwards. _There's something… vaguely familiar about that attack…_ The cessation of rubbing on the cat's bell caused the fog to lift and the fake bell to disappear.

Ishimaru ran for his sword, picked it up without slowing and swung an arc of blue light at where the giant white neko was now standing. "_Dendou Suraisu Supa-ku_!"

The electric shock sliced through the large gold bell around Maomorin's neck, dividing it neatly in two- and causing the Shikon shard to spring free, flying toward Ishimaru. He caught it without thinking, his gaze locked on the white neko.

The fat cat was yowling and screeching something terrible as he began to dissolve, evaporating into the air. "Currrrrrrse you!" he howled, his voice fading as his body did.

Once he was completely gone, the bell, sliced in two, cracked and crumbled to dust. Inusouta stepped closer, nudging the ash with his bare toe. "He was a ghost neko… he was not even real. His essence was trapped inside the bell all along."

The guards at the entrance exchanged shocked and bewildered glances. They had been following a ghost all this time?

The lackey who had been so cruel to the four hanyous cringed as Ishimaru looked over at him, his blue eyes hard as ice. "Seize him," he commanded quietly to the guards standing outside the cave entrance. When they paused, he pointed his sword at them, his face completely devoid of all emotion. "Do not think I won't hesitate to send each and every one of you to join Maomorin. I remember all the insults and atrocities you have piled upon me over the years. I am your leader now, so do it!"

The neko jumped to obey, binding the lackey in much the same way the inu siblings had been bound. Ishimaru gave him a cursory glance before turning around and walking away, his tail slapping the captured neko's face with the movement. "Get him out of my sight. I will deal with him momentarily."

The neko guards bowed to their new leader- he may have been a hanyou, but he was obviously stronger than their previous boss and seemed to put up with a lot less insubordination. They hastened to comply with his orders, dragging the lackey out of the cave.

Amber nodded, privately appreciating the view. _That neko is damn sexy when he's dead serious and commanding like that. Not to mention his shirt is still off…_ Her attention moved back to her oh-so-sexy mate, who was walking back across the cave, his hands stuffed inside his haori sleeves.

And she wasn't the only female who thought that. Izayoi stared at Ishimaru from her position against the wall. She was scared of the fighting, yet now that it was over, she felt extremely relieved and much calmer. Ishimaru was now the neko leader- and he would free her. He wouldn't demand that she mate with anyone she didn't want to. 

_Would he… would he decide to take me for his mate now that he's leader? It's his right, if he so chooses… Would I accept that? Would I want that?_

Her gaze slid over the black-haired inu now standing by the kitsune, with his arms lovingly around her waist. _He looks so calm, so tender as he holds his mate_… 

Izayoi's thoughts were all in a tangle. Sure, Ishimaru fought Maomorin, but not once did he actually harm the ghost cat. When he had finally landed a blow, it was on the bell- not on the neko. But the inu… when he had arrived, bound on the floor, his claws were covered in blood- neko blood, most likely. He had killed and injured, and would not hesitate to do so again.

And the words Ishimaru had threatened the other nekos with… she knew they were not said in anger or bloodlust- but as an attempt to get them to follow his orders. He was not a violent hanyou- unlike that inu. He probably would've gutted every last one of them and not blink an eye in doing so.

It was obvious that, if made to choose, she'd stay with Ishimaru than go with the inu that claimed to be her brother.

Amber hugged her mate, aware that he was staring at his sister in confusion. "She's terrified of you," she murmured, her voice full of sympathy and understanding. "And I seriously worry that she's starting to fall for that neko. The sooner we get that shard and get out of here, the sooner we can try and get her memories back."

He nodded without taking his eyes off his twin. He loved her, probably more than he really let on… and now, she didn't know him, didn't recognize him… didn't remember all the things they'd gone through while growing up. "I will do anything," he replied softly. "I want my sister back, vixen. She is my twin… I cannot imagine not having her in my life."

"I know, love. I love her too, but in a much different way. We'll do everything we can to restore her memories."

---------------

Ishimaru moved over to Izayoi, kneeling in front of her. His sword was sheathed again and he looked at her with those fantastic gold eyes. "Tenchi… are you… are you all right? That fight didn't upset you, did it? I'm so, so sorry you had to see that…"

She shook her head, deeply touched by his concern. "I'm okay," she whispered. "I was just… so worried about you… that you might end up…"

"Shhh," he hushed her, placing a finger against her soft lips. "Don't say it. I'm fine and you don't have to worry about doing anything against your will any more." He flicked a glance at the conversing couple before turning his eyes back to hers. "And that includes going with him, if you don't want to."

She blinked at him and he couldn't help but inwardly wince at the four cuts on her cheek- healing nicely, they'd be gone within a few hours due to her hanyou blood, but still… "I… am I... to be your mate now that you're the neko leader?"

Ishimaru looked startled at that question. He pondered the possibility. _It's feasible…I defeated Maomorin in challenge so therefore I'm the leader of the clan now. So if I chose to take her as my mate, I certainly could. But would she agree to mate with a lowly neko hanyou?_

Instead of answering her question, he simply gave her a sweet smile that nearly undid her. He was so gentle, so caring, so breathtakingly handsome. "Don't worry about that, tenchi. We should concentrate on getting you out of here. You can't stay here."

She allowed him to help her to her feet, but she wouldn't take her eyes off him. "You… you will come with me? I don't know where I can go… I don't know anything about my past, and I don't dare go with those two alone. Can I trust them?"

He shook his head- not in negativity but in uncertainty. "I don't know. I don't know them any better than you right now." He took a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes, holding her hands close to his heart. His next words were going to be the hardest he'd ever had to say. "Perhaps… if you go with them… you will recover your memories. You will know where you came from and who you really are."

Izayoi stared up at him, aware that they were very, very close. She opened her mouth to tell him she'd gladly stay with him than leave with that hanyou and his mate when Ishimaru was suddenly pulled from her grasp.

"I thought I told you to keep your paws off my sister."

She winced in fear as a quietly irritated inu tossed Ishimaru a good five feet from her. He landed with perfect grace on a three point stand: one hand and his two feet, his tail curling up into the air. "You have some nerve, puppy," he hissed. "What if I said that I want her for my mate? What will you do then?"

Gold eyes narrowed at him as he cracked his knuckles again. "I would be forced to kick your tail from here to China."

"Oh? I'd like to see you try."

Izayoi made a whimpering, whining noise as she jumped to her feet and ran for the entrance to the cave, which was being guarded by only two neko guards. They bowed slightly, giving respect to her that their new leader had chosen to be his mate. They wouldn't let her pass and instead looked to Ishimaru for instructions.

He nodded to the guards. "She may leave, but make sure she is escorted wherever she wishes to go. No one is to lay a claw on her or they'll be dead. Am I understood?"

"Hai, Ishimaru, sir," they replied, bowing. They took up flanking positions a respectable distance away from the inu and followed her out of the cave.

The neko then turned his attention fully on the fuming male in front of him. "All right, baka," he said dryly. "I don't want to fight you because you were a fundamental aid in the battle with Maomorin, but if you insist I will defeat you. I will be taking Izayoi as my mate- it is both her choice and mine."

"Negative. She is my sister and I say she does not have a choice."

Amber ran up, her long gold hair flowing behind her. Ishimaru did a double take- _didn't she have black-tipped gold fox ears? Now she had human ears. What was going on?_ "Inusouta… let's just take the shard and leave. He's got a clan to manage and we have more jewel shards to find. Izayoi will regain her memories with time and everything will be as it was before. Can we just go, please?"

"You mean this shard?" Ishimaru held up the tiny fragment between his claws. "Why should I hand it over? It's mine now- I won it during my battle with Maomorin. As I won the right to court Izayoi and make her my mate if she so agrees."

"Which she will never do."

"Enough!" Amber yelled, surprising the two males. "Look, we need that shard," she said to Ishimaru. "You can either hand it over now or come with us and hand it over later. Either way, we _will_ be taking that shard from you."

Ishimaru relaxed slightly and adopted a rather casual stance. "You're inviting me to come with you?"

Amber flushed and refused to look at her silently seething mate. "Hai. That way you can see that we mean Izayoi no harm and that she is, in fact, my mate's sister. Perhaps, on our journey, you will find a mate of your own that you can bring back here with you."

His blue eyes narrowed. "She's the only mate I want, lady." He scratched an ear, pondering for a moment. "But traveling does sound intriguing. I've always wanted to escape this hellhole… and even though I am now considered the leader, I have no wish to be. Some other youkai can take over if they want. The neko clan does not exactly hold any respect or appreciation for me. Someone will kill me eventually."

"Yet you will still be killed if you return," Inusouta pointed out, talking sensibly. "It looks like your choice is either to stay here or come with us and never return. Not that you would get my sister or the jewel shard either way," he added coolly.

Fangs flashed in a cocky feline grin. "We'll see about that."

----------------

**A/N: **_**Dendou Suraisu Supa-ku**_**- Electric Slice Shock, Ishimaru's sword technique**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9****  
**  
Izayoi sighed, rubbing the still-tender lump on the side of her head. Her head hurt, her heart hurt, and she really didn't know why. Probably skipped a beat one too many during the last few hours.

Glancing back at the stoic-looking guards several yards behind her, Izayoi mentally smiled at Ishimaru's thoughtfulness. He knew that she was frightened of her surroundings and had tried to eliminate her discomfort by providing her with protection. These two neko she had never seen before, but then again, there were no faces she really remembered before arriving here.

"My lady?" She turned around to see one of the neko guards bowing slightly, having stopped some distance behind her. She mentally chuckled at being called "my lady." She was no noblewoman, or even a youkai of any rank, but because Ishimaru was the new leader and he favored her, she was now referred to with respect.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked quietly, politely. "Or did I wander too far?"

"I think Lord Ishimaru would prefer you to remain close by," he replied, not meeting her eyes. She blinked a few times.

She moved closer to him but stayed a safe distance away. "Is something wrong? Am I not safe here?"

The guard exchanged a glance with his partner, who nodded. They both gazed at her with sincere concern. "We are among the very, very few who are happy with the change in command," he explained in a hushed tone. "The others will be all too delighted to kill you to gain revenge for the old boss's death."

"He was already dead," Izayoi pointed out wryly.

The other guard hid a grin. "Indeed, and while we are actually impressed that a hanyou was still able to defeat Maomorin and gain control of the neko, those against him will be hunting him down, eager to kill him at first chance- because of his half-breed status."

Izayoi gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "We… we must leave here. He can't stay, can he?" The two guards shook their heads.

"If he stays, not only is his life in danger, but yours as well if you chose to become his mate. Not to mention any kittens you two might bear."

She pressed a hand to her heart, as if that alone would calm the pounding inside her chest. Her thoughts were muddled and confused, but one thing was utterly clear. Ishimaru could not stay here with the neko clan. To do so would be to resigning himself to both a life of violence and death- eventually his own.

"Take me back, onegai," she said, a mixture of concern and determination in her golden eyes.

"Hai, my lady," they replied immediately, turning and led her back to the cave, one in front and one behind.

-------------------

Ishimaru strode out of the cave, leading two human hanyous. He stopped at the edge of the outcropping to see Izayoi and her two escorts returning- and appearing to be trying not to rush.

The front guard saluted the hanyou- a hand across his chest and lowering of the head- as he moved out of Ishimaru's way. Izayoi climbed up to where the trio was waiting and blinked, confused.

The man looked like Inusouta, but the black dog ears and fangs were gone. He had human ears and appeared to be completely ningen. The female was lovely, with gold tresses and large sapphire eyes- just like-

"Are… are you two the same hanyous from before?" she asked, confused.

Amber smiled faintly. "Hai. I was unable to hold my hanyou state any longer. I had to revert."

Inusouta shrugged as he slipped his newly-recovered sword and sheath through the side of his dark blue hakama. "I can control it better than you, my sister, but there was no longer any reason to. Nightfall will be coming soon enough and you and I will be back to hanyou form again."

Izayoi looked startled. "Back?" She lifted a strand of hair and was quite dismayed to see that it had gone from silver to black. "What's going on?"

Ishimaru raised an eyebrow. "You are ningen during the day and hanyou at night? How is that possible?"

Amber gave him an indulgent smile. "They're only half hanyou- quarter youkai. Their father is Inuyasha, the famous hanyou who defeated Naraku? Their mother is the miko who helped him. I believe we mentioned it, earlier."

That earned her a couple gasps from the two guards. They well knew the name Inuyasha. He and his Tetsusaiga were a force to be reckoned with and no youkai wanted to cross paths with him in a bad mood- or even a good mood.

The neko hanyou merely smiled. "That explains this dog's lack of manners and atrocious language skills."

Inusouta advanced on him. "Listen, you fucking pussy…"

Abruptly two spears were pressing into his neck, holding him in place. The inu-hanyou-turned-human glared at the two guards threatening him. "Watch your mouth, mongrel," one of them hissed. "Remember who you are talking to."

"Oh, I remember, all right…"

Amber put a hand on Ishimaru's arm. "Stop… onegai," she pleaded quietly. "No more fighting."

He glanced at her and immediately signaled for his two guards to release the inu. They lowered their spears and stepped back. Inusouta moved toward Izayoi, his gold eyes full of hope. "Izayoi… do you remember me yet? Anything at all?"

She looked up at him warily, with more than a trace of fear still in her eyes. "No," she replied stiffly. "Nor do I want to." She turned to Ishimaru and missed seeing the pain reflected in her brother's topaz depths.

"We need to leave," she murmured to Ishimaru. "It is not safe for you here. Your guards told me that the other neko will try to kill you at first chance."

He nodded, his long tail swishing behind him. "I know, tenchi. None of the neko here will be pleased to have a half-breed leading them."

The two guards cleared their throats. "We have no problems with your hanyou status," one admitted quietly. "You are obviously a better choice than that fool Maomorin, as well as any of the other power-crazed neko around here. But there are only two of us, against at least a hundred others. For your safety and that of your future mate, you must go and now."

Ishimaru regarded the two neko before him. He remembered the tiny kindnesses they had given him- an extra piece of leftover meat, a "forgotten" pelt that he had used as a blanket on a particularly cold night. He had never once mentioned these things for fear that they would be punished or even killed- or even out of the fear that their actions were only accidents. But to hear that they truly held no ill-will towards his half-ningen blood… 

"What will you two do?" Amber asked, concerned for the two neko. "You should not be forced to stay here if you don't want to."

They exchanged a glance. "Once we know Lady Izayoi and Lord Ishimaru are safely away from here, kitsune, we will vanish as well. The tribe will not miss us."

Inusouta opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. He suspected he knew why the tribe would not miss these two males- and it was not his place to say anything about it. If they stayed, if they were discovered not only to have helped the hanyou escape but if their secret revealed… it would mean instant death. "We should go then," he said instead. "The sooner we leave, the better for all of us."

Everyone nodded. Ishimaru turned around and knelt down, offering his back to Izayoi. "Get on- we'll move faster this way."

Izayoi blinked at him. He wanted her to ride on his back? She tried to prevent the blush that stained her cheeks as she carefully got on his back, feeling his strong hands reach back and firmly grasp her thighs. _Thank Kami I'm wearing these pants_…

As Ishimaru ran off with Izayoi on his back, Inusouta was still standing on the outcropping, clenching his fist and cursing in as many languages as he knew. He was gritting his teeth in the effort not to rip the little bastard to shreds. Amber sighed. "Let's just follow them to make sure they don't get into trouble- neko or otherwise," she said.

He nodded and shifted to hanyou form. Pausing long enough for his beloved Amber to jump on his back, together they raced off after the neko and their sister, heading into the forest.

-----------------

Masao sighed again as Kirara purred in her sleep near his ankles. He had sat underneath this tree for weeks, it seemed, instead of the mere hours it had truly been.

The wolf twins had long run off, insisting that their father would have their hides if they didn't return immediately- although the taijiya rather suspected that they were, in short, cowards.

Possible and highly probable. They couldn't even defend themselves against one irate wolf hanyou female! They were more than likely playboys that focused more on sex than fighting. No wonder Kouga seemed so disappointed in them.

Suddenly Kirara lifted her head, staring at the foliage nearby. She stood up on her dainty paws and blinked several times before turning around and… running the other way.

Masao sat right up, staring after her in concern. Kirara never ran away. "Kirara! Where are you going?"

Mere nanoseconds later a strange man- no, a hanyou- broke through the nearby foliage, carrying a black-haired female on his back. Masao blinked as he recognized Izayoi- but not the hanyou.

"Izayoi! Thank Kami you're all right!" Masao called, obviously relieved. The two looked at him strangely.

"How do you know me?" Izayoi asked, obviously confused. Her eyes were fixed on him, but there was absolutely no recognition in them at all when she looked at him. "Are you friends with that irate inu and his kitsune mate?"

Masao's jaw nearly dropped. _Doesn't she remember me? Or her brother and sister-in-law? What in Kami's name is going on here?_ "Well, I'm your f-friend too, Izayoi. I'm Masao. Don't you remember? Sango and Miroku's eldest son?"

The hanyou gently lowered himself so Izayoi could dismount easier and the tenderness with which they acted with each other nearly made the taijiya scratch his head in bewilderment. "Do you know this ningen, tenchi?" he asked the inu.

Masao's eyebrows shot up in utter surprise. _Angel? He's calling her terms of endearment and he's still living? Where is Inusouta during all of this?_

Izayoi shook her head. "I've never seen him before either. But it would seem he knows me, so perhaps he is with the others."

Inusouta and Amber dropped out of the trees to land on either side of Masao. The taijiya didn't even bat an eyelash. "Hey, you two. What is going on here? Why doesn't Izayoi remember me or either of you? And who is this new hanyou and why is he carrying her around like she belongs to him?"

Inusouta growled as he picked up the backpack by the tree Masao was previously leaning against. "Can we just get out of here? We are still too close to those fucking neko for my comfort."

The taijiya whistled and leaned closer to Amber. "Is it just me or is he acting more and more like his father every minute?" The kitsune nodded, covering up her mouth to hide her giggle.

The new hanyou exchanged a glance with Izayoi, who visibly shuddered. He put his arm around Izayoi's shoulders, which shocked Masao to no end, and led her after the irate male inu-hanyou.

"What is going on?" he asked again, this time forcing Amber to stare him in the eye.

She sighed. "Izayoi's got amnesia and doesn't remember anything prior to waking up in the nekos' cave. Not Inusouta, not their parents, not anything. Not to mention her attitude's taken a complete 180. She's quiet and reserved, and quite fearful. Which I would be too, if I didn't know anyone around me."

"Oh, damn," the taijiya swore, totally out character due to the intensity of the situation. "And the hanyou?"

"That's Ishimaru- he's a neko hanyou with a jewel shard he refuses to hand over and he's head over tail in love with Izayoi. He wants to make her his mate, and I think she's starting to fall for him too."

Masao's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "And the neko's still breathing? Why hasn't 'Souta killed him yet?"

Amber's face got very sad. "She's terrified of her brother now. His behavior just keeps getting worse as time passes and of course, that's scaring her more. She's convinced she could never be related to such a violent and foul-mouthed man."

The taijiya turned and stared after the trio, who were now out of sight. "And his temper's only going to get worse as long as she doesn't remember him and starts to fall in love with this Ishimaru guy."

"You got it."

"We… are _totally_ screwed," he breathed, using one of Suki's favorite terms.

"I completely agree."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Inusouta finally stopped to make camp quite a distance away from the nekos' mountain. He didn't want to take any chances that those felines would come after them, but he rather suspected that once Ishimaru was gone, they'd be busy fighting over who would take over as leader instead of hunting down a group of hanyous.

Turning slightly but refusing to look at Ishimaru- who was carrying _his_ sister behind him- Inusouta dropped the backpack with the supplies. "I am going to look for firewood," he said quietly, keeping a very, _very_ tight rein on his anger, which wanted to throttle the neko six ways into the next world.

Izayoi and Ishimaru stared after him as he disappeared into the foliage nearby. "That was odd," she murmured, blinking her golden eyes.

"Indeed," came the soft reply. "He left us alone- not to mention he was rather polite when he spoke." Ishimaru lifted Izayoi's hand and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand. "Perhaps he has realized that you are going to be mine?"

A strange weapon appeared out of nowhere and clonked the infatuated male over the head, causing a rather large lump to appear. Izayoi blinked in confusion and dismay.

"Keep your lips off her, neko," Masao said, holding a huge boomerang that he had used to hit Ishimaru over the head with. "She's not yours."

Ishimaru rubbed his sore noggin as he glared at the human. "Who do you think you are, ningen?"

Amber crossed her arms and gave the neko an amused look. "This is Masao. He's a taijiya."

The neko raised an eyebrow. "A youkai exterminator? I thought they died out."

Masao shrugged as he leaned the huge weapon against a nearby tree and then sat down. "My mother and her brother were the last."

Inusouta abruptly appeared, his arms full of firewood. His golden eyes lifted to Amber's sapphire ones and she nearly swooned at the naked adoration in his gaze. _Kami, but I love that bad dog…!_ "Amber," he said quietly, deliberately. "Would you mind lighting the fire for us?"

She tilted her head curiously. "Certainly," she replied, taken aback by his overly polite manner. She moved over to the wood pile, which was now surrounded by various sized stones, thanks to Masao, and lifted her hands, aiming her palms at the wood. "_Kitsune-bi_!"

Pale lavender flames shot out from her palms and ignited the wood, where it changed color to flickering reds, oranges, and yellows.

"Thanks, love," Inusouta murmured, settling himself down close to the fire. He opened the yellow bag and rummaged around it in, seemingly looking for something. Amber sat down next to him and raised an eyebrow at Masao, who shrugged.

The inu pulled out a dark purple kimono that their mother herself had packed. He tossed it to Izayoi, who caught it in surprise. "That kimono is yours. There is a small pool not too far distant if you desire to bathe before you change."

She looked utterly startled. "A-a-arigatou," she stammered, totally nonplussed. Her gaze flickered to Ishimaru before she turned and headed in the direction Inusouta had indicated, clutching the garment to her chest.

Once she was out of earshot and sight, Ishimaru turned to Inusouta. "I don't know what game you're playing, canine, but it won't work. I _will_ be asking her to be my mate and no matter what you do, she will agree. You might as well accept your fate."

Cold gold eyes regarded him from an expressionless face. "My _fate_, as you so term it," he replied neutrally, "is to make sure that weakling males like you stay far, far away from my sister. Once her memories return she will forget you like so much dust in the wind."

Masao held up a hand. "Stop it- right now, we have to focus on finding the last jewels shards. They should be our main concern- not fighting on who's mating whom."

Inusouta bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Agreed. There are more important matters at hand for the moment. But rest assured that my sister is still one of my priorities- I love her and even though she may not remember it, she loves me. I will not allow any harm to come to her."

"Nor will I," Ishimaru replied, narrowing his ice blue eyes.

-------------------------

Izayoi returned from an uneventful bath to find only Ishimaru and the taijiya sitting around the fire. She looked around and failed to see either the kitsune or the inu. "Where did the other two go?" she wondered aloud.

Masao snorted. "Don't ask."

Ishimaru patted the ground next to him in invitation to the perplexed female. "Have a seat- you must be cold after your bath."

Izayoi flushed slightly as she took the proffered spot. Having transformed back into a hanyou once the sun had set, she flicked the remaining water off her silver ears. "Arigatou," she murmured. She looked over at the human poking the fire with a long thin stick. "Why shouldn't I ask? Are they doing something bad?"

Masao actually blushed. "They… uh… they're…"

The neko huffed an irritated sigh. "They're mating. Something about trying to get the kitsune pregnant or some such."

"Ohhhh," Izayoi gasped, her face turning about as read as it could get. "I… I…"

"Don't worry about it," Masao muttered. "They'll do this every night until he gets her pregnant."

"For the love of Kami- _why_?"

Ishimaru surprised them both by answering, although he was a newcomer to this small group. "Because he doesn't want other youkai coming after her and trying to take her. It's rare, but if another male youkai takes an interest in her and she has not yet conceived her first litter, then that male has a right to claim her and try to sire kittens…er, kits, in her case- on her. Once she's pregnant, she's recognized as mated by youkai law."

"Wow," Izayoi said, staring at the flickering flames. "Am I in trouble then?"

Both males looked at her in surprise. "You?" they asked as one.

"I've never been… well…" she flushed but managed to continue. "Anyways, I'm not… um, claimed… so, will male youkai come looking for me?"

Masao opened his mouth, his arm partially lifted towards her as if to make a point. Ishimaru spoke up before the taijiya could. "It is possible, but we shouldn't worry about that right now." He flashed her a charming grin. "After all- after you've agreed to become my mate, I'll waste no time in making sure the youkai population knows you're mine."

The taijiya scowled. "Can we just drop this and go to sleep? We still have to start searching for the rest of the jewel shards in the morning."

"We?" Izayoi looked confused. "Why am I going with you?"

"Because _you_ are the only one among us that can sense the jewel shards. And _you_ are the one who begged your father to allow you on this journey, as a way of proving that you are no longer a child."

"Hmmm," was her reply, just before she yawned. "Well, then I guess sleep it is."

"Not by him," Masao said, a hard glint in his eye. "Why don't you curl up on the other side of the fire- as a look-out. Your hanyou ears can hear anyone coming, so it'd be best if we were spread out around the fire."

Ishimaru shot him a dirty look but Izayoi simply nodded. "Good thinking." Curling up across the fire from the two males, she nodded to both as exhaustion overwhelmed her.

Once the neko could detect the sound of slow, even breathing coming from the silver-haired inu, he turned to Masao with a glare. "Subtle, ningen."

The taijiya gave him an innocent, surprised look. "I don't know what you are talking about. It is safer for all of us if we are spread out."

"Don't give me that. I know perfectly well that you did not want her sleeping by me. The look-out excuse was just that- an excuse to keep her away from me. Why?"

"I told you- it's just safer."

"Right. And I'm a full youkai."

Masao bowed his head to the neko hanyou. "Good night, Ishimaru. Sleep well."

"Pfft."

---------------------------

Amber stretched out on her bare stomach, her tail idly swishing through the air in contentment. "How are we going to get Iza's memories back?" she asked her mate, who was lying on his back next to her.

Inusouta shrugged. "Short of hitting her over the head and praying to as many deities we know for a miracle, I don't have any ideas. Seems like we'll just have to wait it out. They should come back eventually."

The kitsune gave her handsome inu a direct look. "You don't like that Ishimaru at all, do you?"

Inusouta growled softly. "That damn cat… thinks he can just waltz in here and take my sister from me… I'd like to shove Ryokukenmeiyo up his-"

"Inusouta! He saved our lives back there!"

He snorted at his glaring mate. "Sorry, vixen. I don't like the thought of some weakling coming along and ruining her life. She deserves the strongest- the best."

"Mmmm… too bad I already got that one."

Rolling onto his side, he idly raked his claws delicately down her fluffy golden tail fur. "Too bad, eh? For whom? I didn't hear you complaining earlier."

Amber did a whole body shiver, her tail fur standing on end. It always drove her nuts with desire when he did that to her tail. "I did complain. That you weren't going nearly fast enough."

"Impatient wench." His lips were on her bare shoulder now, heading inevitably for her neck.

"Bad dog," she murmured, tilting her head and giving him access to the tender skin there.

"Of course…" He nipped at her neck, earning him a little whimper of pleading from her throat. "I still remember when you first called me that…"

"Oh, do you?" she breathed, not really paying attention to anything except his lips on her skin.

"Hai… I had snuck into your room in your old apartment… you were sleeping- dreaming of me…"

Her eyes snapped open. "_Nani_?"

Molten eyes were sparkling with mischief as he rolled her onto her back, effectively trapping her beneath his body. "Oh, yes… you thought that was just a dream, didn't you? I never got around to telling you… that it was real." He lowered his mouth and licked her navel. "And I can still taste how delightful you were…" 

"You're teasing me," she replied, breathing hard, unable to believe her ears. "There's no way that you could've… that was just a dream…"

"And the green underwear with the yellow smiley face on them?"

"_Aaaugh_!" she cried, scaring nesting birds from their sleep. "You didn't! Tell me you didn't!"

"Oh, yes. Sliced right through them… and I'm so very, very glad I did."

"You… you… bad dog! How could you do something like that and not tell me for _8 bloody months_?"

"You can't honestly tell me you're mad at me…" he purred, completely unconcerned with her ire.

"Let me up! I can't believe, after all this time, you kept this from me…"

"Oh, no," he murmured as he moved back up to look her in the eye. "You're mine, vixen. And I know as well as you that you're glad I did it. And, if you're a good girl, I'll do it again."

She shivered as his hands roamed between her thighs, causing desire to override her anger. She remembered that night- and how inexplicably incredible it had been. "You promise?" she breathed, digging her claws into the ground beneath them.

"All that and more, itoshii…"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Masao rolled his eyes as his friends emerged from their nighttime nest, fully dressed but looking rather rumpled. Amber's sapphire eyes sparkled with mischief, completely in character with her kitsune blood. "Have a good night, old man?" she asked her cousin.

The taijiya snorted so softly that she almost missed it. "Never better," he muttered, lifting Hiraikotsu over his shoulder and securing it against his back. He turned and gazed silently at the neko who was talking softly with Izayoi on the other side of the now-dormant campfire.

"Izayoi!" Inusouta hollered, causing his raven-haired sister to jump in surprise. "Where's the next shard?"

Izayoi blinked her gold eyes in confusion. "How should I know?"

"You're the only one who can sense them," Amber reminded her gently. "Just tune in on the sensation you get from Ishimaru's shard."

She raised a skeptical eyebrow but closed her eyes anyway, trying to see if she could feel that same tug that the neko's shard was giving her.

Ishimaru eyed Masao. "Why did the kitsune call you 'old man'?" he murmured to the taijiya. "You cannot be that much older than she is."

Masao gave a slight smile but kept his eyes on the concentrating Izayoi. "It's somewhat… difficult to explain," he replied quietly, "but I am, technically, the older cousin."

Amber gave a muffled giggle. _Yeah. 500 __**years**__ older, give or take._

A somewhat irritated sigh had everyone's attention. "I can't," Izayoi announced, sounding rather disappointed. "I don't feel anything- except from the shard Ishimaru's carrying."

Inusouta and Amber exchanged a glance, and then turned to look at Masao, who nodded. "Then we have to press on," Inusouta said. He faced Ishimaru, who, despite his slightly shorter stature, glared right back. "So give us the shard before you leave, pussy."

"Listen, bitch," Ishimaru retorted, baring his fangs, "this shard is mine- and I'm not leaving without Izayoi. End of story."

"Well, my _sister_ is going with _us_, so save yourself the headache and just give us the shard."

Masao shook his head in defeat as he handed a quiver full of arrows and a sleek bow to Izayoi, who was warily watching the other two males curse at each other. "Here… these are yours."

Izayoi turned her gaze from the argument to the tall young man currently standing beside her. She blinked as she stared at the weapons. "Mine?"

"Yes- you inherited your mother's miko powers and can shoot sacred arrows. These were hers when she traveled the land searching for jewel shards and the evil Naraku."

"My mother's…" Izayoi took the weapons from him slowly. As she grasped the bow, her hand brushed against Masao's- and she jumped as if bitten.

She lifted her eyes to meet his and abruptly she was caught in the violet depths. For a moment, an eternity, a heartbeat, she could only stare. Something swirled, something familiar, something comforting… almost like… a memory…

"_Izaaaaaaayoi! Where are you?"_

_Fourteen-year-old Izayoi peeked around the tree. _Honestly, that boy could be so loud… _she thought to herself. "Masao!" she hissed, beckoning her lifelong friend. "Will you shut up? Daddy's gonna hear you and then he's gonna find us!"_

_Masao hurried over to where the young girl was waiting. He blinked at her attire. "What are you __**wearing**__?"_

_She glanced down at the new kimono she had purchased just yesterday with her birthday money in her mother's era. "It's a kimono," she informed him as if he didn't know._

"_I __**know**__ that… but __**why**__ are you wearing it?" He looked extremely confused._

_A scowl crossed her lovely face. "Because it's my birthday and I wanted to look nice!"_

"_I didn't see Inusouta wearing anything special," he pointed out with the vast intelligence that every thirteen-year-old male possessed._

"_He's not a girl, either," Izayoi retorted, hands on her hips._

_Masao's violet gaze dropped to her new kimono- which accented her developing figure- and snapped back up to her face. "I-I'm… I'm g-glad," he managed to mutter, his face red._

_Immediately suspicion filled her eyes. "Why?"_

_For a moment, he didn't respond._

"_Well? Why are you glad my brother isn't female? Because __**both**__ your best friends would be girls__instead of just __**one**__?"_

"_No," Masao whispered, flushing like mad as he turned away._

_She stalked over to him and spun him around, forcing him to look at her. "Spit it out!"_

"_Because I couldn't handle __**two**__ such beautiful girls around me all the time! One is bad enough!"_

"Izayoi! Are you ready? We are heading out," Inusouta called, a red lump on his head to match the one on Ishimaru's. Amber stood between the two, looking both smug and irritated- clearly the source of the lumps.

Their eyes broke contact and Izayoi nearly collapsed on her knees. Only sheer willpower kept her upright and acting as if nothing had happened, even though her mind was reeling.

_What… what was that? Do I remember him? Is he really someone from my past? He seems familiar… like… like I've known him… for a long time… But I don't._

_Do I?_

Her cheeks felt warm but no one seemed to notice. Everyone's attention seemed to be behind them- was something coming?

A growl had Ishimaru on all fours and his tail straight up, fur completely on end. Masao broke into a wide grin and hurried forward- only to be knocked backwards by a very happy Kirara.

"Kirara!" the taijiya exclaimed between kitty-kisses. "I was wondering where you'd gone!"

"She came to get me," came a quiet voice from the foliage the twin-tail had emerged from. Minako stepped out of the brush carefully, her eyes shining at the happy reunion of Kirara and Masao.

"Nee-san!" Inusouta enveloped his older sibling in an enthusiastic hug, which was gladly reciprocated. "Why are you here?"

"Kirara seemed to think I was needed," Minako explained in her soft voice, "but no one seems injured."

"Izayoi sustained a head injury," Amber murmured, giving her sister-in-law a hug as well once Inusouta had relinquished his hold on her. "She's got amnesia- and we've got trouble."

"Amnesia?" The "nurse" look was immediately evident in Minako's bright blue eyes. "No wonder she hasn't come over to greet me."

Indeed, the young lady in question was gazing at the wolf hanyou as if she might bite Izayoi at any moment. She unconsciously moved closer to the body next to her- which happened to be Masao, who was nodding a greeting to the ebony-haired healer.

Ishimaru, who happened to have recovered from his initial reaction to Kirara crashing through the bushes, huffed at the arrival of apparently another inu sibling. "How many damn puppies does Inuyasha have?"

Minako was in front of the neko before he could blink, gazing up at him with cold blue eyes. "I don't believe we've met, sir. Perhaps you should introduce yourself before you start insulting my family."

Inusouta chuckled, which made Ishimaru wary. "I am Ishimaru," he replied, his ice blue eyes narrowing right back at her. "Current leader of the Mountain Neko tribe and Izayoi's future mate."

"Her _mate_?" She looked dismayed at his declaration, but abruptly her eyes widened slightly, as if realizing something. "I see…"

Masao and Inusouta both delivered quick bonks to Ishimaru's head. "Like hell!"

"We will discuss this later," Minako said firmly, giving all three males a stern glare. "For now, let me examine my sister and I'll make an analysis afterwards."

"What are you- some kind of rescue dog?" Ishimaru rubbed the lumps between his ears.

"I'm a nurse," came the unperturbed reply. She walked over to Izayoi and persuaded the young female to sit down. "And I'm not an inu hanyou."

Izayoi looked surprised. "You claim to be my sister, but you are not of inu blood?"

Gentle hands came up to feel her scalp, carefully probing through the silky tresses to search for the injury. "I am a wolf hanyou," Minako reminded her without pausing. "Our father and mother adopted me after my birth parents were killed when I was just a cub."


	12. Chapter 12

**A bit of editing to make the relationship between Izayoi and her mystery lover a bit more... romantic. Chapter 13 IS in the making- I don't know when I will finish and upload it. Patience, my friends...  
**

**Chapter****12**

Minako pulled the young Neko aside, allowing the others to walk ahead. "I know you have feelings for my sister," she said quietly, "but you must be aware that just because she has lost her memory does _not_ mean that she has a clean slate. Her past is complicated- and is too much for one like you to understand and become a part of." She gestured to the group ahead of them. "Our family does not only consist of my siblings and our parents. Our friends are also our family- and they will not hesitate to protect us."

He looked at her as she spoke, giving a sigh and shaking his head. "I don't doubt she had a past. I want to get her memories back as much as all of you, to have who she is returned to her." He said, pausing for a moment as he walked, looking up at the lovely inu. "She's so delicate and frightened. I just want to protect her."

Minako turned towards him, her blue eyes throwing sparks. "Listen to me, cat," she warned him, her voice soft but promising pain, "that girl has been through more than you could imagine. If you love her as you claim to, then prove it. Back off. Learn about _who_ she is, rather than _what_ she is: a female."

He shot her an annoyed glare. "I never meant to just mate her and run off- _she_ is the one all over me. You're misreading my intentions... I will not claim her now or anytime in the near future, if that's not what she wants. I do want her to have her memories so I can learn who she is," he added, looking away. This wolf was beginning to get on his nerves. Did she think him merely some sex-crazed feline?

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "Have I misunderstood? Mere moments ago you were claiming her as your mate, regardless of what I or my brother had to say in the matter. Now you are saying you do not want to claim her. I am confused. Please- enlighten me as to your... plan to woo my sister."

Ishimaru sighed and shook his head. "I am fully aware that there is more to her than meets the eye," he said as he looked at her, his blue eyes serious. "I wasn't going to tell anyone… but as you are a healer and can possibly understand, I think if she has an experience with an emotion from her past, such as love or even hate, it might bring back her memory- or at least some of it. I thought perhaps jealousy might trigger something." He said, confessing to her out of earshot of the others, revealing his knowledge.

She blinked. "Jealousy?" Running her eyes over the Neko hanyou, she appraised him in new light. "You're smarter than you look, cat. I truly believed you were in love with her, but instead you were aware all along."

He grinned briefly and shook his head. "That's the problem, I suppose. I _do_ have feelings for her, but can't take her now that I have an inkling of what's going on. It feels like cheating." He sighed as he walked along. He wasn't sure what to say now but it seemed like he had alleviated some of the scorn the wolf was giving him.

Nodding, she continued along the trail behind the others. "There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there... Ishimaru-san?" she called back, her ears twitching in barely contained mirth.

His ears went flat when she called him that. "I guess," he muttered, not quite knowing how to take a compliment.

Izayoi glanced over at her "new" friend, Amber. "You said we are going to the Kitsune clan?"

Amber nodded, excitement bright in her blue eyes. "They're _very_ distant relatives of mine. I hope they'll be willing to help us."

Ishimaru still wasn't convinced that a tribe of full-blooded Kitsune would be willing to help an outfit such as theirs but he followed along anyway, having nowhere else to go. They weren't treating him _that_ badly- he could handle a few glares here and there. He'd certainly endured worse at Neko Mountain.

Day turned to night turned to day. For a week they traveled, catching their meals where they could, talking very little as the tension mounted among the group. Finally, as night came once again, the inu siblings transformed, with Amber following suit. A familiar yet strange scent floated on the wind towards them, causing the young Kitsune to perk up her ears and tail.

Ishimaru was sitting near the fire alone, scrawling something on a piece of paper in a language none of them would understand. The males hadn't talked to him much during their journey, yet they seemed to be getting angrier with him even though he'd spoken very little with Izayoi.

He caught the scent and snorted. Kitsune_._They were close, too. He hoped that Amber was right about them- he wasn't looking for yet another fight. He folded his paper and set off through the trees, heading toward a nearby cliff, needing answers that he simply didn't have. There, as expected, he found Minako staring up at the moon with a rather pleasant look on her face.

"Why are they getting angrier with me?"

Large blue eyes turned towards him, seeming to glow in the moonlight. "Give them time," she replied, her voice as soft as the breeze. She always sounded so mellow when she'd been basking in moonlight, like a cat in a sunbeam. He grinned at the comparison. "They just need to get to know you, to know you're not as bad as they think."

He shook his head, grunting. "That didn't work," he reminded her. "Besides, even though I saved all of their lives, they immediately turned on me when Izayoi took an interest in me."

A rustle sounded from behind him. He turned and crouched as if ready to pounce, pulling his sword a bit from its saya before he heard Minako say his name. He relaxed a bit, still eyeing the movement- he was tense, especially when he wasn't expecting anyone.

"You're as jumpy as a cat on a hot roof," she observed, smiling.

"Thank you for that."

She turned back to the moon. "Oh, relax. I doubt the Kitsune will bother us. We haven't done anything to them, so they should treat us the same."

"You obviously don't know Kitsune very well."

Minako blinked at him, a mysterious smile on her lips. The hair on the back of his neck and on his tail lifted up- but it wasn't in alarm.

"I know them _quite_ well, thank you," she murmured with a wolfish smile.

Her musical laughter trailed after him long after he had returned to his tree, tail twitching in feline aggravation.

"_Izayoi? __Where__ are __you __going?__"_

"_Mom __asked__ me __to __get __some __more __firewood,__" __the __seventeen-year-old__ called __back __to __her __father.__ "__Inusouta__'__s __up __at __the __temple __helping __them__ finish __the __repairs __before __nightfall __and __she__'__s __busy __tending __to __a __broken __ankle __on __the __other __side __of __the __village.__"_

"_I don't want you going alone, young lady," Inuyasha grunted. "I'll go with you."_

"_Daddy, I'm fine," she protested, rolling her eyes. "Besides, if you come with me, who will watch Suki? You can't leave her alone with that fever. And I need to get going- we only have a few logs left."_

_The hanyou grunted. "All right," he conceded. "But I don't like it."_

"_Would you like me to take one of Aunt Sango's kids with me?"_

_He __pondered __that __a __moment.__ "__Yeah, __that__'__d __work. __See__ if __Hidama __is __available.__" __He __glanced __at __Suki, __who__ whimpered __in __her __sleep.__ "__Every __time __she __gets __worried __about __her __stupid __homework__ she __ends __up __like __this,__" __he __muttered __as __Izayoi __silently __made __her __escape._

_She hurried out of the village, her heart pounding. She ran through the forest, something on her mind that obviously wasn't firewood._

_A pair of familiar eyes greeted her as she approached their secret place. "You made it."_

_She nodded, breathless, but not from running. She moved closer, suddenly feeling awkward. "It's getting harder to get away from my father," she whispered. "I don't want him to suspect anything. He'd kill you."_

_He__ let__ out __a __soft __chuckle.__ "__I__'__m __not __easy __to __kill,__" __he __assured __her,__ "__but __I __appreciate __your __concern.__" __He __took __a __few __steps __closer, __as__ though __he was __shy __as __well.__ "__You__ know, __you __are __extremely __addicting.__ I __can__'__t __get __you __off__ my __mind.__ Every __day __you __fill__ my__ thoughts __until __I__'__m__ certain __my __head__ will __burst.__"_

_She giggled. "It's the same for me," she confessed. "Once you kissed me… I just couldn't get enough."_

_His eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun. "You sure you want to?"_

"…_Very sure. I don't want anyone but you."_

_He __closed __the __distance __between__ them__ and__ she __met __his __embrace __eagerly. __Their __lips __connected __ravenously,__ the __passion __between __them __growing __with __every __caress, __every __gasping __breath. __His __mouth __burned__ a __trail __down__ her__ throat, __his __hands __hot__ on __her__ skin__ where __he __had__ opened __her __summer __yukata __to__ expose __her __high, __firm __breasts. __He__ touched__ her__ there, __hesitantly,__ and__ she __moaned._

_As he bore her to the ground, she found herself undressing him as well, removing his haori and raking her eyes over the perfect skin underneath. He paused in his attentions, allowing her the opportunity to watch as he untied his hakama to reveal his proud manhood. "See what you do to me, Izayoi?" he whispered. "It's been like this for months now. All I have to do is think of you and my body betrays me."_

_Her hands enveloped his aching flesh impatiently, moving on him knowingly. Their months of secrecy had left them intimately familiar with one another, but they had never gone so far yet. Izayoi was determined that tonight she would give him her all._

_He groaned, lowering his head to nip at her throat. "I need you, Izayoi," he pleaded- and she knew what it cost him to admit such a thing. He had his pride, after all._

"_I need you too," she whispered, guiding his hand to her moist womanhood, proving her readiness. "Please. We don't have much time."_

"_I know." He settled between her thighs, nudging her opening with his swollen member. He paused, meeting her gaze. "Izayoi, I… I need to tell you-"_

"_Shhh,__" __she __murmured,__ reaching __down __and__ pressing __him __inside __her.__ She __lifted__ her __hips __and__ pulled __him __onto__ her __in__ one __smooth __motion, breaking her maidenhead__ and __melding__ their __bodies __in __a __single __moment. __He __let __out __a __groan __of __pleasure __at __the __tight __heat __surrounding__ him,__ and__ she __moved __her __hips __again, __starting __him__ on__ the__ rhythm__ to __paradise._

_For what seemed like moments or hours, they mated, their bodies dancing in an age-old cadence until they reached the crescendo, her inner muscles contracting around him as she cried out, his seed pumping into her until he was completely spent._

_As he rolled off of her, so that he would not crush her into the ground, she sat up and smiled at him, pulling her yukata back up over her shoulders. Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks were pink, and her lips were swollen from his kisses. He thought she had never looked more gorgeous._

"_I have to go," she said, apologizing. "If I don't, my father will come looking for me, and I still have to find firewood."_

_He __sat __up __as__ well, __reaching __for __his __hakama.__ He__ noticed__ the__ blood __on __his __member __and __he__ smiled __softly. __Such __a __gift __she __had __given __him.__ "__Would __you __like __me__ to __help __you?__"_

_She shook her head, although she wanted him to very badly. She wanted to spend more time alone with him, but… "It's best if you don't," she said sadly. "I have to hurry, before nightfall."_

_He nodded, understanding. "Will I… will we be able to meet again? Soon?"_

_Izayoi gave him a bright smile, one she reserved only for him. "I'll do what I can," she told him, "but it depends on how much I can escape my father." She blinked at him. "You… still want to see me?"_

_He __wanted __to __confess__ his __heart, __how __he __loved__ her __more __than __any __man__ could __possibly __love __a __woman, __but __he__ refrained, __knowing __how__ she __felt __about __commitment.__ "__If __you __still __wish__ to,__" __he __acquiesced.__ "__I __would __never __force __you __to __do __anything __you __didn__'__t __want __to __do.__"_

_She__ nodded,__ blushing __as __she__ turned__ to __leave __for __her __errand.__ "__Th-thank __you,__" __she __murmured, __a __wealth __of __meaning __in __those__ two __words __as __she __ran __off, __leaving__ him __behind __to __stare __at __her __until __she __faded__ from__ sight._

Izayoi sat up straight with a gasp, her golden eyes wide. Her heart was pounding and her chest felt tight. She fought back another gasp as she realized the place between her thighs was wet- but it wasn't blood. It was slick and carried a musky scent.

_Oh, gods. I'm… I've…_

She'd orgasmed in her sleep.

Blinking in the darkness, she noticed a pair of violet eyes watching her curiously from his seat next to her. "Are you okay?" Masao asked quietly.

Her cheeks heated up at the memory of the very vivid dream. "I… I think so," she murmured, looking away. "I'm not sure, but… I think I just… remembered something. In my sleep."

"Oh?" Masao returned to gazing at the fire. "Anything specific?"

_Only __the __loss __of__ my __virginity._ "I don't know if it was an actual memory, though," she said neutrally. "It could just be a dream."

"You could tell me what it was, and I could help you decide if it was real or not."

Her face went bright red. He lifted an eyebrow at her. "Were you having perverted dreams?" he whispered, giving her a teasing grin.

The silver-haired hanyou flopped back down in her sleeping bag and turned her back to him, her ears flat against her skull. "I'm going back to sleep," she muttered.

His amused chuckle reached her ears, despite her having covered her head with her blanket to hide her mortification.


End file.
